The present invention provides methods for making polysaccharide-protein conjugates in which polysaccharides, typically from bacteria, are conjugated to a carrier protein by reductive amination under conditions which improve conjugation reaction consistency, increase consumption of protein during conjugation reaction, generate conjugates of higher molecular weight, and/or reduce the levels of free cyanide in the conjugate reaction product. The polysaccharide-protein conjugates obtained using these methods are useful for inclusion in multivalent vaccines.

The present invention relates to immunogenic compositions comprising a conjugate of a saccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 8 and a carrier protein, and a mixture consisting of capsular polysaccharides from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F individually conjugated to CRM.sub.197 carrier protein, or a mixture consisting of capsular polysaccharides from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 1, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F and 23F individually conjugated to a carrier protein, wherein the capsular polysaccharides from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 1, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, and 23F are individually conjugated to protein D, the capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 18C is conjugated to tetanus toxoid and the capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 19F is conjugated to diphtheria toxoid. Said compositions are useful for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Described herein are FGF-23 epitope peptides, methods of producing antibodies in laying hens by injecting the peptides, and methods of improving resistance to eggshell breakage and/or increasing eggshell strength by administering an FGF-23 epitope peptide to a laying hen.

The present invention is directed to new compositions that are described for the simultaneous, controlled dose delivery of a variety of biomolecules into phagocytic cells. Such a composition is a biologically active composition comprising: (1) at least one of the following biologically active components: (a) a nucleic acid or a derivative thereof; (b) a nucleoside, nucleotide, or a derivative of a nucleoside or nucleotide; (c) a peptide, protein, or a derivative of a peptide or protein; (d) a lipopolysaccharide or a derivative thereof; (e) a peptidoglycan or a derivative thereof; (f) a carbohydrate or a derivative thereof; (g) a lipid or a derivative thereof; (h) a lipopeptide or a derivative thereof; (i) a metal ion; (j) a thiol; (k) an antibiotic or a derivative thereof; (I) a vitamin or a derivative thereof; (m) a bioflavonoid or a derivative thereof; (n) an antioxidant or a derivative thereof; (o) an immune response modifier; (p) an antibody; (q) a biologically active nonmetal; (r) histamine or an antihistamine; and (s) a kinase inhibitor; and (2) at least one carrier effective to deliver the composition to a phagocytic cell such that the biologically active component is taken up by the phagocytic cell and influences its biological activity.

The present disclosure relates to a fusion protein comprising BP26 and an antigenic polypeptide, and to a nanoarchitecture comprising same. A vaccine composition comprising the fusion protein, nanoarchitecture, or combination thereof of the present disclosure can be used to effectively prevent or treat pathogens or cancer, and thus can be used as a multi-purpose vaccine platform.

The present invention provides methods for making polysaccharide-protein conjugates in which polysaccharides, typically from bacteria, are conjugated to a carrier protein by reductive amination under conditions which improve conjugation reaction consistency, increase consumption of protein during conjugation reaction, generate conjugates of higher molecular weight, and/or reduce the levels of free cyanide in the conjugate reaction product. The polysaccharide-protein conjugates obtained using these methods are useful for inclusion in multivalent vaccines.

The present disclosure provides T-cell modulatory multimeric polypeptide epitope conjugates comprising an immunomodulatory polypeptide (“MOD”) that may be selected to exhibit reduced binding affinity to a cognate co-immunomodulatory polypeptide (“Co-MOD”) and a conjugated Wilms tumor-1 (WT-1) epitope presenting peptide. The T-Cell-MMP-epitope conjugates are useful for modulating the activity of a T-cell by delivering immunomodulatory peptides, such as IL-2 or IL-2 variants that exhibit reduced binding affinity for IL-2R, to the T-cells in a WT-1 epitope selective/specific manner, and accordingly, for treating individuals, particularly those with acute myeloid leukemia, myeloma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, Wilms tumor, mesothelioma, soft tissue sarcoma, neuroblastoma, or nephroblastoma.

Disclosed are antimicrobial vaccines comprising oligosaccharide β-(1.fwdarw.6)-glucosamine groups.

Technologies for the prevention and/or treatment of pneumococcal infections.

The present disclosure provides recombinantly manufactured fusion proteins comprising a SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain (SARS-CoV-2-RBD) fragment or an analog thereof linked to a human Fc fragment for use in relation to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Embodiments include the administration of the fusion proteins to patients that have recovered from COVID-19 as a booster vaccination, to antibody naïve patients to produce antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus to enable the patients to become convalescent plasma donors, to patients who have been infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and have contracted COVID-19 in order to limit the scope of the infection and ameliorate the disease, and as a prophylactic COVID-19 vaccine. Exemplary Fc fusion proteins and pharmaceutical formulations of exemplary Fc fusion proteins are provided, in addition to methods of use and preparation.