The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for the treatment of cancer. More specifically, the present disclosure provides compositions and methods utilizing a combination of an oncolytic viruses, such as Sindbis virus, and antibodies directed against a co-stimulatory molecule or to an immune system agonist molecule, such as anti-OX40 antibodies and anti-4-1BB antibodies.

Methods for treating a subject for arthritis are provided. Aspects of the methods include administration to the subject a rs419598/rs315952/rs9005-haplotype-informed therapeutic regimen. In some instances, the methods include administering to the subject a therapeutic regimen that antagonizes interleukin-1 (IL-1) activity and/or a disease modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) if the subject has been identified as having a TTG rs419598/rs315952/rs9005 haplotype. Also provided are compositions for use in practicing the methods.

The invention provides methods for enhancing the delivery of viral vectors to the eye of a subject by administering a proteasome inhibitor or and a viral vector ending a gene of interest to the eye.

A method of selectively targeting a cell with a therapeutic agent, the method comprising: targeting a cell with a nanospear, puncturing the cell with said nanospear; releasing a therapeutic agent from said nanospear, wherein said therapeutic agent enters said cell, thereby effecting the efficacy of said cell.

Stimulation of target cells using light, e.g., in vivo or in vitro, is implemented using a variety of methods and devices. One example involves a vector for delivering a light-activated NpHR-based molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence that codes for light-activated NpHR-based molecule and a promoter. Either a high expression of the molecule manifests a toxicity level that is less than about 75%, or the light-activated NpHR-based proteins are expressed using at least two NpHR-based molecular variants. Each of the variants characterized in being useful for expressing a light-activated NpHR-based molecule that responds to light by producing an inhibitory current to dissuade depolarization of the neuron. Other aspects and embodiments are directed to systems, methods, kits, compositions of matter and molecules for ion pumps or for controlling inhibitory currents in a cell (e.g., in in vivo and in vitro environments).

A carbon nanotube composite vector having a synergistic effect of photothermal therapy and gene therapy, a preparation method therefor, and an application thereof. The vector includes a vector moiety and a gene, and the vector moiety includes carbon nanotubes, a peptide lipid, and/or an additive. A modifier is immobilized on the carbon nanotubes by a self-assembly process to prepare the composite vector that can carry and transfer the gene. The composite vector overcomes the problems that pure carbon nanotubes have poor water solubility, low biocompatibility, and poor gene carrying and transfer efficiency; moreover, the composite vector has higher photothermal conversion performances and gene transfer efficiency, reduces cytotoxicity of carbon nanotubes, and alleviates the problem of localized accumulation of carbon nanotubes. The synergistic effect of photothermal therapy and gene therapy is applied to resolve the problem in tumor treatment that the efficacy of a single treatment method is poor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of treating thoracic cancer using a checkpoint inhibitor in combination with Ad-REIC/Dkk-3. The present invention is a pharmaceutical composition for treating thoracic cancer comprising REIC/Dkk-3 in combination with a check point inhibitor and a method for treating thoracic cancer by administering Ad-REIC/Dkk-3 and a check point inhibitor to a thoracic cancer patient.

Compositions are described for direct protein delivery into multiple cell types in the mammalian inner ear. The compositions are used to deliver protein(s) (such as gene editing factors) editing of genetic mutations associated with deafness or associated disorders thereof. The delivery of genome editing proteins for gene editing and correction of genetic mutations protect or restore hearing from genetic deafness. Methods of treatment include the intracellular delivery of these molecules to a specific therapeutic target.

This document relates to methods and materials for increasing viral vector infectivity. For example, methods and materials for using spliceosome inhibitors (e.g., U2 snRNP spliceosome inhibitors such as meayamycin B or pladienolide derivative E7107) to increase viral vector (e.g., adeno-associated virus-based vector) infectivity are provided.

In some aspects, the disclosure relates to methods and compositions for delivering a transgene to a subject. The disclosure is based, in part, on compositions (e.g., viral vectors, such as rAAV vectors) and methods of venous limb perfusion (VLP) that efficiently transduce muscle tissue and enhance serum concentrations of secreted transgenes.