The present invention relates to compositions and methods for cancer immunotherapy. In particular, the present invention relates to engineered effector B cells and their use in cancer immunotherapy.

A method of therapy for a tumor or other pathology by administering a combination of thermotherapy and immunotherapy optionally combined with gene delivery. The combination therapy beneficially treats the tumor and prevents tumor recurrence, either locally or at a different site, by boosting the patient's immune response both at the time or original therapy and/or for later therapy. With respect to gene delivery, the inventive method may be used in cancer therapy, but is not limited to such use; it will be appreciated that the inventive method may be used for gene delivery in general. The controlled and precise application of thermal energy enhances gene transfer to any cell, whether the cell is a neoplastic cell, a pre-neoplastic cell, or a normal cell.

A cancer immunotherapy method is disclosed in which induced immune anticancer agents are isolated after being induced in an animal host by intralesional (IL) administration of a halogenated xanthene tumor-ablative compound into a solid cancerous tumor of that host animal. A sample of the induced immune anticancer agents is removed (collected) from the tumor-bearing host, banked if desired, cultured and preferentially expanded to form an immunologically-effective enriched tumor-specific immune anticancer agent composition. That composition is reintroduced in to the host from which the predecessor induced immune anticancer agents were taken, or into another immunologically suitable host in need.

Modified macrophage immune cells are provided for treatment of cancer and other diseases.

The present invention provides a dendritic cell modulatory protein which modulates, and preferably inhibits, the differentiation and/or maturation of mammalian dendritic cells. The invention also provides proteins comprising conserved motifs found in such proteins as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the dendritic cell modulatory protein and homologs and active fragments thereof, antibodies thereto and methods of treatment which utilize such proteins, homologs, fragments and antibodies.

This invention provides the field of therapeutics. Most specifically present invention provides methods of generating in vitro engineered dendritic cells conditionally expressing interleukin-12 (IL-12) under the control of a gene expression modulation system in the presence of activating ligand and uses for therapeutic purposes in animals including human.

According to the present invention, peptides having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 14, 21, 23, 27, 36, 46, 57, 60 and 62 were demonstrated to have cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) inducibility. Therefore, the present invention provides a peptide having the amino acid sequence selected from among SEQ ID NOs: 14, 21, 23, 27, 36, 46, 57, 60 and 62. The peptide can include one, two, or several amino acid substitutions, deletions, insertions, or additions so long as its CTL inducibility is retained. Furthermore, the present invention provides pharmaceutical agents for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of cancers, and/or prevention of postoperative recurrence thereof, which contain any of these peptides. Pharmaceutical agents of this invention include vaccines.

The invention provides improved screening methods for testing T cell recognition of T cell epitopes.

Compositions and methods are provided for enhanced healing of wounds, e.g. cutaneous wounds, by application of a scaffold or matrix, e.g. a hydrogel film comprising a dose of macrophages, or monocyte progenitors thereof, which dose is effective in increasing the rate of wound healing. The compositions of the invention find use in treating cutaneous wounds, particularly chronic wounds, e.g. in diabetic patients or other patients with impaired wound healing.

A transdermal delivery system of microneedles containing a bioactive material, comprising at least one layer of a support material; at least one biodegradable needle associated with the support material, each needle comprising at least one biodegradable polymer and at least one sugar, wherein each biodegradable needle is hollow and is adapted to retain a bioactive material.