Disclosed are compositions and methods of treating a neurodegenerative disease in an individual. The methods disclose administration of an Integrin α4β1, Very Late Antigen-4 positive neural precursor cell (“VLA4+NPC”) transfected with a lentivirus overexpressing wild type GCase to an individual having a neurodegenerative disorder. The neurodegenerative disease may include lipid storage diseases, for example Gaucher disease, Parkinson's disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy bodies.

Compositions and methods of enhancing the potency and efficacy of adoptive cell therapy using integrin-ligand stabilizers, wherein the integrin is selected from the group consisting of α4β1, α5β1, α4β7, αvβ3 and αLβ2, and contacting the effector cells ex vivo with agonists or stabilizers having the general Formula (I); methods of treating integrin-expressing cells with such stabilizers to enhance tumor infiltration; and therapeutic methods comprising administering stabilizer or agonist-treated cells to a mammal requiring treatment of solid tumors, hematologic cancers.

The present invention in various aspects and embodiments involves pharmaceutical compositions prepared by contacting a candidate α- or β-integrin-binding molecule, or panel thereof, with an integrin heterodimer, and quantifying heterodimer disruption by the candidate molecule. An integrin-binding molecule, or derivative thereof, that disrupts the integrin heterodimer is selected and is formulated into a pharmaceutical composition for administration to a subject, e.g., who has a disease or disorder related to abnormal vascularization.

Disclosed are compositions and methods of treating a neurodegenerative disease in an individual. The methods disclose administration of an Integrin α4β1, Very Late Antigen-4 positive neural precursor cell (“VLA4+ NPC”) transfected with a lentivirus overexpressing wild type GCase to an individual having a neurodegenerative disorder. The neurodegenerative disease may include lipid storage diseases, for example Gaucher disease, Parkinson's disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy bodies.

The present invention provides peptide conjugates that target an integrin such as α.sub.vβ.sub.6 integrin. In particular embodiments, the peptide conjugates comprise a moiety such as a PEG moiety, an imaging agent, or a therapeutic agent. The peptide conjugates of the present invention are particularly useful for imaging a tumor, organ, or tissue. Compositions and kits containing the peptide conjugates of the present invention are also provided herein.

A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating cartilage diseases, and pharmaceutical preparation that includes the pharmaceutical composition as an active ingredient are provided. The pharmaceutical composition includes, as an active ingredient, at least one of an integrin beta-like 1 (ITGBL1) protein, ITGBL1 DNA or RNA encoding the ITGBL1 protein.

The present invention relates to a biologic that inhibits angiogenesis. In particular, the present invention relates to fusion proteins that inhibit the integrin activated pathway and one other angiogenic factor-activated pathway as well as formulation compositions of such fusion proteins, as well as methods for producing and using the same.

The present invention provides peptide conjugates that target an integrin such as α.sub.vβ.sub.6 integrin. In particular embodiments, the peptide conjugates comprise a moiety such as a PEG moiety, an imaging agent, or a therapeutic agent. The peptide conjugates of the present invention are particularly useful for imaging a tumor, organ, or tissue. Compositions and kits containing the peptide conjugates of the present invention are also provided herein.

The present disclosure provides methods and composition for treating multi-drug resistant cancers, in particular, breast cancers, via administration to a subject the composition including a peptide having a sequence complementary to a highly conserved motif present in substantially all integrins responsible for an integrin-mediated attachment-independent chemoresistance to one or more chemotherapeutic agents. The binding of the sequence of the peptide to the highly conserved motif will enhance accumulation of the chemotherapeutic agents in the tumor-initiating cells and in turn restores the function of the chemotherapeutic agents in the tumor-initiating cells.

The present disclosure provides methods and composition for treating multi-drug resistant cancers, in particular, breast cancers, via administration to a subject the composition including a peptide having a sequence complementary to a highly conserved motif present in substantially all integrins responsible for an integrin-mediated attachment-independent chemoresistance to one or more chemotherapeutic agents. The binding of the sequence of the peptide to the highly conserved motif will enhance accumulation of the chemotherapeutic agents in the tumor-initiating cells and in turn restores the function of the chemotherapeutic agents in the tumor-initiating cells.