The present invention relates to virus-like particles of plant virus Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), and in particular to modified VLPs of CMV comprising Th cell epitopes, in particular universal Th cell epitopes. Furthermore, these modified VLPs serve as, preferably, vaccine platform, for generating immune responses, in particular antibody responses, against antigens linked to said modified VLPs. The presence of the Th cell epitopes, in particular universal Th cell epitopes, led to a further increase in the generated immune response.

The present invention relates to peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumor-associated peptides that can for example serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions that stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, or to stimulate T cells ex vivo and transfer into patients. Peptides bound to molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or peptides as such, can also be targets of antibodies, soluble T-cell receptors, and other binding molecules.

The present invention provides novel nanoparticle presented vaccine compositions that are stabilized with a locking domain. Various immunogens can be employed in the preparation of the vaccine compositions, including viral immunogens such as HIV-1 and Ebola viral immunogens, and non-viral immunogens such as immunogens derived from bacteria, parasites and mammalian species. The invention also provides methods of using such vaccine compositions in various therapeutic applications, e.g., for preventing or treating viral infections.

The present invention discloses a polypeptide antigen sequence, its spatially sensitive position in von Willebrand factor (VWF), and use thereof in the production of preparations for the diagnosis and/or treatment of VWF-related blood diseases. The polypeptide antigen comprises the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, or a biologically active fragment or a variant thereof. The spatial position of the polypeptide transits from non-solvent exposure to solvent exposure when VWF is in activation process upon exposing to blood shear stress, so as to be recognized by an antibody. The antibody that recognizes the active state of VWF prepared by using the polypeptide antigen is useful in diagnosing and treating a variety of VWF-related diseases.

The present invention relates to nucleic acids encoding the novel parvoviral protein “assembly activating protein” S(AAP), the encoded polypeptides, methods of producing the polypeptides, antibodies specific for AAP, the use of the nucleic acids for the preparation of the polypeptides, the use of the nucleic acids or the polypeptides for the preparation of the parvoviral particle and methods of producing parvoviral particles essentially consisting of VP3 by providing in addition to the coding sequence of the parvoviral structural protein VP3 a sequence fragment Z/a nucleic acid encoding AAP in the cell and expressing VP3 and fragment Z under control of a rep-independent promoter. Furthermore, the present invention relates to parvoviral particles essentially consisting of VP3 and/or obtainable by the above method as well as expression cassettes comprising (i) a heterologous promoter and (ii) VP3 coding sequence and/or fragment Z. The present invention further relates to a medicament, particularly a vaccine, comprising the parvoviral particles or expression cassettes and their use.

The present invention aims to provide a vaccine pharmaceutical composition that can be universally used for induction of cellular immunity to various antigens and that exerts a high inducing effect. The present invention relates to a vaccine pharmaceutical composition that suppresses apoptosis of CTL or inhibits suppression of induction of CTL.

A cancer therapeutic agent according to an embodiment of the present invention contains, as active ingredients, IL-18 and one or more antibodies selected from the group consisting of an anti-PD-L1 antibody, an anti-PD-1 antibody, an anti-PD-L2 antibody, an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, an anti-CD25 antibody, an anti-CD33 antibody, and an anti-CD52 antibody.

Provided are novel human copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, also known as superoxide dismutase 1 or SOD1, specific antibodies as well as fragments, derivatives and variants thereof as well as methods related thereto. Assays, kits, and solid supports related to antibodies specific for SOD1 are also disclosed. The antibody, immunoglobulin chain(s), as well as binding fragments, derivatives and variants thereof can be used in pharmaceutical and diagnostic compositions for SOD1 targeted immunotherapy and diagnosis, respectively.

The invention relates to isolated synthetic or recombinant peptides comprising an epitope of human tau 2N4R, wherein the tau peptide sequence comprising the epitope is not phosphorylated. The invention also relates to use of such peptides to generate binding molecules, such as antibodies, specific for the non-phosphorylated tau epitopes and to such peptides and binding molecules, such as antibodies, for use in investigation, diagnosis and treatment of tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease.

An immunity inducer contains, as an active ingredient, any of a peptide (a) or (b) below, or an expression vector having a structural gene including a region encoding the peptide. (a) A peptide including an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2; (b) a peptide having immunity induction activity and including an amino acid sequence in which one or several amino acids are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2. A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating aging-related diseases includes the immunity inducer and an adjuvant.