The present invention provides chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) comprising an antigen binding domain specific for SSEA4, a population of engineered cells expressing said CARs, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising said genetically modified cells expressing said CARs. The pharmaceutical composition may be for use of the treatment of cancer in a subject suffering from cancer, wherein at least a subpopulation of the cancerous cells of said cancer expresses SSEA4.

The present invention relates to Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) that are recombinant chimeric proteins able to redirect immune cell specificity and reactivity toward selected membrane antigens, and more particularly in which extracellular ligand binding is a scFV derived from a 5T4 monoclonal antibody, conferring specific immunity against 5T4 positive cells. The engineered immune cells endowed with such CARs are particularly suited for treating lymphomas and leukemia, and for solid tumors such as colon, stomach, and ovarian tumors.

Embodiments of the disclosure include compositions and methods effective for immunotherapy, such as for cancer. The embodiments include cells that recognize a combination of two signals or three signals present at the tumor microenvironment. In certain embodiments, the signals for antigen stimulation, co-stimulation, and cytokine signaling act through separate molecules, although in certain embodiments the signals for antigen stimulation and co-stimulation are transmitted through the same molecule.

Disclosed herein are cells that are immune cells or precursor cells thereof, which cells recombinantly express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), and a dominant negative form of an inhibitor of a cell-mediated immune response of the immune cell, wherein the CAR binds to a cancer antigen. Also disclosed herein are T cells that recognize and are sensitized to a cancer antigen, which T cells recombinantly express a dominant negative form of an inhibitor of a T cell-mediated immune response. Additionally provided are methods of using such cells to treat cancer in a subject in need thereof.

The present invention relates to a complex of a protein comprising zinc oxide-binding peptides and zinc oxide nanoparticles, to the use thereof as a drug delivery carrier for manufacturing medicines, and to a vaccine composition and a contrast agent comprising the composite. The protein comprising zinc oxide-binding peptides significantly improves the in vivo availability of zinc oxide-binding peptides, and therefore the complex of the present invention can be used not only as a drug delivery carrier for in vivo drug delivery or intracellular drug delivery, but also for in vivo imaging or cell imaging. The complex can be used for producing separating agents for effectively separating biological materials, therapeutic agents for hyperthermia, etc., contrast agents for MRI, and beads applicable to biosensors.

The present disclosure relates to a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) showing highly specific and sensitive recognition of CLDN6 expressing target cells as well as a high potential for survival and repetitive stimulation of CAR T cells.

The present invention provides immunoresponsive cells, including T cells, cytotoxic T cells, regulatory T cells, and Natural Killer (NK) cells, expressing an antigen recognizing receptor and an inhibitory chimeric antigen receptor (iCAR). Methods of using the immunoresponsive cell include those for the treatment of neoplasia and other pathologies where an increase in an antigen-specific immune response is desired.

Provided herein are methods for delaying or inhibiting T cell maturation or differentiation in vitro for a T cell therapy, comprising contacting one or more T cells from a subject in need of a T cell therapy with an AKT inhibitor and at least one of exogenous Interleukin-7 (IL-7) and exogenous Interleukin-15 (IL-15), wherein the resulting T cells exhibit delayed maturation or differentiation. In some embodiments, the method further comprises administering the one or more T cells to a subject in need of a T cell therapy.

The present invention provides immunoresponsive cells, including T cells, cytotoxic T cells, regulatory T cells, and Natural Killer (NK) cells, expressing at least one of an antigen recognizing receptor and one of a chimeric costimulatory receptor. Methods of using the immunoresponsive cell include those for the treatment of neoplasia and other pathologies where an increase in an antigen-specific immune response is desired.

Methods for inducing CD8+ T cells to express a CD62L.sup.hiCD44.sup.lo naïve-like phenotype are provided. One embodiment provides a pharmaceutical composition containing CD8+ T cells induced to express a CD62L.sup.hiCD44.sup.lo naïve-like phenotype and optionally an excipient. The CD8+ T cells can be induced by contacting them with an effective amount of a MEK1/2 inhibitor. An exemplary MEK1/2 inhibitor is Selumetinib. The induced CD8+ cells can be used to treat cancer, reduce tumor burden, or treat infections in a subject in need thereof.