The present invention provides isolated T cell receptors (TCRs) that specifically bind to an HLA-displayed cancer testis antigen Melanoma-Associated Antigen A4 (MAGE-A4) peptide, as well as therapeutic and diagnostic methods of using those isolated TCRs. The present invention provides T cell receptors (TCRs) that were generated against a MAGE-A4 peptide antigen in the context of MHC (HLA-A2). The unique TCR sequences identified have shown specific binding to the small peptide MAGE-A4 presented in the groove of an HLA molecule and exhibited activation of T cells in a reporter assay.

MAGE-A1 specific T cell receptors (TCRs) are provided. Accordingly, there is provided a TCR comprising a TCR α chain as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 having at least one mutation at an amino acid position selected from the group consisting of S189, G125, W55 and Y56; and/or a TCR β chain as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 having at least one mutation at an amino acid position selected from the group consisting of S32, S109 and T63, the TCR binds a MAGE-A1 peptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 25. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the TCR and T cells expressing same and methods of use thereof.

The present invention inter alia relates to a method of selecting a patient for treatment of a solid tumor, wherein cells of the tumor express the human melanoma associated antigen 1, to a method of predicting whether a patient being diagnosed with a MAGE-1A positive solid tumor will be responsive to treatment of this tumor as well as to methods of treating a patient being diagnosed with a MAGE-1A solid tumor. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising T cells expressing a T cell receptor that specifically binds MAGE-1A and to a diagnostic immunostaining kit for selecting a patient for treatment of a solid tumor.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treating a subject having cancer associated with melanoma-associated antigen 4 (MAGE-A4) peptide. The disclosure includes the embodiments relate to a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that binds MAGE-A4 peptide, a polynucleotide encoding a CAR that binds the MAGE-A4 peptide, a modified cell comprising a CAR that binds the MAGE-A4 peptide, and a population of modified cells comprising a CAR that binds the MAGE-A4 peptide.

Described herein are immune cells comprising: a T-cell receptor (TCR) and a chimeric stimulating receptor (CSR) that comprises (i) a ligand-binding module that is capable of binding or interacting with a target ligand; (ii) a transmembrane domain; and (iii) a CD30 costimulatory domain, in which the CSR in the immune cells lacks a functional primary signaling domain. Also provided herein are methods of using the same or components thereof (e.g., the CSR) for therapeutic treatment of cancers (e.g., solid tumor cancers).

The present disclosure provides methods of producing a modified immune cell responsive to orthogonal cytokine signaling and a modified immune cell produced by said method. The present disclosure further provides a modified immune cell responsive to orthogonal cytokine signaling and methods for treating cancer comprising the modified immune cell.

The present disclosure provides signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-activated macrophages, compositions comprising STAT-activated macrophages, methods of making STAT-activated macrophages, and methods of treating diseases, e.g., cancer, by administering a therapeutically effective amount of STAT-activated macrophages.

The present invention contemplates dendritic cell compositions. The dentritic cell compositions employ MHC class-II targeting signals fused to an antigen or fragment thereof to obtain MHC II presentation of the antigen or fragment thereof. In particular, the invention refers to a dendritic cell vaccine comprising dendritic cells expressing a MHC class-II targeting signal fused to an antigen or fragment thereof. Dendritic cell vaccines for the stimulation of an immune response against melanoma-associated antigen are also described.

The present invention relates to peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumor-associated peptides that can for example serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions that stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, or to stimulate T cells ex vivo and transfer into patients. Peptides bound to molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or peptides as such, can also be targets of antibodies, soluble T-cell receptors, and other binding molecules.

Provided herein are T-cell receptors (TCRs) that when expressed recombinantly on the surface of a T cell are able to recognize the MAGE-B2-derived peptide GVYDGEEHSV (SEQ ID NO: 1) when presented by HLA-A*02:01 sufficiently to activate the recombinant T cell. Certain TCRs provided herein also are able to recognize the MAGE-A4-derived peptide GVYDGREHTV (SEQ ID NO:2) sufficiently to activate the recombinant T cell. Importantly, exemplary TCRs provided herein were thoroughly screened for lack of cross-reactivity with similar peptides that may be presented by normal cells or tissue and for alloreactivity.