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.

Provided are TCRs (e.g., TCRs that bind to NY-ESO-1), cells and pharmaceutical compositions comprising these TCRs, nucleic acids encoding these TCRs, expression vectors and host cells for making these TCRs, and methods of treating a subject using these TCRs.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for expanding T cells or tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in vitro. K562 feeder cells engineered to express a costimulatory molecule (e.g., 41BB ligand (41BBL)) and either interleukin 21 (IL21) or interleukin 7 (IL7) can be used in a rapid expansion protocol (REP) step to expand the T cells or TILs. Thus, provided herein is a culture comprising T-cells or TILs and modified K562 feeder cells. The T cells can be modified to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) or a T cell receptor (TCR) or the TILs can be modified to express membrane-bound IL15 (mbIL15). The T cells or TILs can be expanded in vitro using aREP without the use of exogenous interleukin 2 (IL2), and the expanded cells can be used in adoptive cell therapy for treatment of cancer without concomitant use of an exogenous cytokine such as IL2.

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 methods employing various fusion constructs in T cell therapy. The fusion constructs allow for one to reduce, to the point of full removal if desired, the use of IL-2 that would otherwise accompany an in vivo T cell therapy.

Methods and compositions are provided for nuclease-mediated gene editing of primary cells without the use of viral mediated delivery. Methods of treatments using edited primary cells are also provided.

Methods and compositions are provided for nuclease-mediated gene editing of primary cells without the use of viral mediated delivery. Methods of treatments using edited primary cells are also provided.

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.

The present invention relates to cancer immunotherapy. In particular, provided herein are compositions and methods for improving the efficacy of cell therapies cancer and other diseases.