Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions for enhancing expansion of immune cells for immunotherapy. In particular embodiments, immune cells, such as T-cells, express a constitutively active cytokine receptor in which the transmembrane and endodomains are able to provide an activating signal separately from any input to the corresponding exodomain to which they are operably linked. In specific embodiments, the transmembrane and endodomain from IL-7R is utilized with the exodomain of CD34.

The present disclosure relates to an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that is specific to ephrin type-A receptor 10 (EphA10) and a fusion protein containing the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof. The present disclosure also relates to a pharmaceutical composition, a method for treating and/or preventing diseases and/or disorders caused by EphA10 in a subject in need, and a method for detecting EphA10 in a sample.

Methods are provided for treating a subject for an EGFRvIII expressing glioblastoma. The methods of the present disclosure involve administering to the subject a molecular circuit that is primed by EGFRvIII to induce one or more encoded therapeutics specific for one or more antigens expressed by the glioblastoma. Nucleic acids containing sequences encoding all or portions of such circuits are also provided, as well as cells, expression cassettes and vectors that contain such nucleic acids. Also provided are kits for practicing the described methods.

The invention provides a peptide derived from the interleukin-13 receptor 2, which serves as a HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope. The invention can be used as a vaccine for glioma and can be formulated into compositions for medical or veterinary use. In addition, the invention provides the use of a peptide derived from the Eph family of tyrosine kinase receptors which can be also used as a vaccine for glioma and can be formulated into compositions for medical or veterinary use.

EphA2 T-cell epitope are provided herein. The epitopes include peptides corresponding to specific fragments of human EphA2 protein containing one or more T-cell epitopes, and conservative derivatives thereof. The EphA2 T-cell epitopis are useful in an assay, such as an ELISPOT assay, that may be used to determine and/or quantify a patient's immune responsiveness to EphA2. The epitopes also are useful in methods of modulating a patient's immune reactivity to EphA2, which has substantial utility as a treatment for cancers that overexpress EphA2, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The EphA2 epitopes also can be used to vaccinate a patient against EphA2, by in vivo or ex vivo methods.

This invention provides chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) targeting human EphA3 and dual targeting CARs that bind to human EphA3 and to human mutant epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII). This invention also relates to CAR-T cells comprising the provided CARs or the dual targeting CARs. Methods for treating a solid tumor cancer by administering the CARs are provided.

The application relates to a chimeric antigen receptor that targets Eph receptors and allows activation of co-stimulatory pathways. The application also relates to polynucleotides that encode the chimeric antigen receptor, vectors, and host cells comprising the chimeric antigen receptor. The application also relates to methods for preparing host cells comprising a chimeric antigen receptor in order to improve the in vivo effector function of the chimeric antigen receptor host cells.

Embodiments of the disclosure encompass adoptive immunotherapy related to cells expressing multiple chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). In specific embodiments, T cells express a HER2-specific CAR, an IL13R2-specific CAR, and an EphA2-specific CAR. In particular embodiments, the cells are utilized for cancer treatment, including for glioblastoma.

Disclosed are antigen-binding molecules and chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that can at least specifically recognize or bind to EphA3. Also disclosed are methods of medical treatment and prophylaxis.

According to one embodiment, a therapeutic effect enhancer for promoting a therapeutic effect of a CAR-T cell therapy is provided. The therapeutic effect enhancer includes a nucleic acid that contains a gene encoding a target antigen of a CAR, and a nucleic acid that contains a gene encoding a costimulatory factor.