The present disclosure provides variants of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), pharmaceutical compositions comprising CNP variants, and methods of making CNP variants. The CNP variants are useful as therapeutic agents for the treatment of diseases responsive to CNP, including but not limited to bone-related disorders, such as skeletal dysplasias (e.g., achondroplasia), and vascular smooth muscle disorders (e.g., restenosis and arteriosclerosis).

The invention is directed to novel alkaline proteases.

The present invention provides engineered RNA polymerase variants and compositions comprising these variants. The present invention further provides engineered T7 RNA polymerase variants and compositions comprising these variants. These variants have been evolved for selective incorporation of the m7G(5)ppp(5)m7G cap analog over GTP at the initiation of in vitro transcription. The present invention also provides methods for selective capping of RNA transcripts.

The present invention relates to compositions comprising Haemophilus influenzae Protein E and Pilin A. More particularly, the present application relates to fusion proteins and immunogenic compositions comprising Protein E and PilA, vaccines comprising such immunogenic compositions and therapeutic uses of the same.

The present invention relates to methods for the diagnosing, prognosing, monitoring, differentiating, treating, and managing of Lyme disease in a subject. The methods according to the invention are characterized by the detection of a biomarker signature comprised of a combination of two or more analytes indicative of disease.

A bacteria referred to here as Bacillus subtilis 6A-1 is provided, compositions thereof and processes for use of the bacteria, spores, cells, extracts and enzymes. The compositions which comprise the bacteria, spores, cells, extracts and/or enzymes are capable of degrading polysaccharides. Such compositions are capable of degrading cellulose, including plant-produced cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose. The bacteria produces at least two cellulose-degrading protein fractions. Cellulose degrading activity continues across pH2 to pH13.

The present invention relates to methods for the recombinant expression of Chlamydia major outer membrane protein (MOMP) comprising transforming a population of E. coli host cells with an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule that encodes Chlamydia MOMP and encodes a leader sequence for targeting the MOMP to the outer membrane of the cell, wherein the nucleic acid molecule is operatively linked to a promoter. The method of the invention allows expression of MOMP in the outer membrane of the cell, which leads to protein folding that is more like native MOMP relative to a MOMP protein that is expressed intracellularly. Also provided by the invention are uses of the recombinant MOMP in pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of Chlamydia infection and/or the effects thereof.

Disclosed herein are novel synthetic bacteriophages and bacteriophage compositions, methods of production thereof, and therapeutic uses thereof.

The present invention addresses the first problem of providing an Fc-binding protein having improved stability, especially stability to heat and acid, of the Fc-binding protein, a method for producing this protein, and an antibody adsorbent using this protein. The present invention also addresses the second problem of providing a method that makes it possible to identify the presence or absence of glycosylation of an antibody, and a material to be used in this method. The first problem is solved by an Fc-binding protein having improved stability to heat and acid obtained by substituting amino acid residues at specific positions in the extracellular domain within human FcRIIIa with other specific amino acids, a method for producing this protein, and an antibody adsorbent using this protein. The second problem is solved by using an adsorbent capable of specifically adsorbing an antibody having a sugar chain, the adsorbent being obtained by immobilizing human FcRIIIa on an insoluble carrier.

The present invention describes the generation of an anti-idiotype single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody specific for the murine (RFB4), chimeric (SM03) and humanized (SM06) versions of an anti-CD22 antibody (the anti-CD22 antibodies). The present invention further describes the construction of a murine IgG2a/kappa immunoglobulin carrying the variable region sequences of the anti-idiotype scFv sequences. Additionally, the present invention provides a cell line capable of producing an anti-idiotype murine antibody specific for the anti-CD22 antibodies. The present invention is directed against a method for identifying and evaluating the activities and concentration of the anti-CD22 antibodies. Additionally, the present invention provides a method for evaluating serum concentration of the anti-CD22 antibodies that are being used clinically. The present invention is also directed against a method to detect HAMA, HACA and HAHA responses in patients treated with the anti-CD22 antibodies. Specifically, the present invention is directed against the establishment of a cell line expressing surface concentration of the antibody of the invention; the said cell line expressing surface anti-idiotype antibodies or antibody fragments will be used as the target cell line for evaluating the functional activities of the anti-CD22 antibodies via complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and/or antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) activities.