A TCR-like antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, the antibody binding to and having specific and improved affinity to an MHC-I molecule, particularly a CMV pp65 peptide complex (CMVP495-503/HLA-A*02:01) presented by HLA-A*02 are disclosed. A nucleic acid for coding the TCR-like antibody or the antigen-binding fragment thereof; an expression vector containing the nucleic acid; a cell transformed to the expression vector; a method for producing same; a composition containing a T cell for expressing the antibody or the antigen-binding fragment thereof as a chimeric antigen receptor; uses of the composition in preventing or treating cancer or an infectious disease; uses of the composition in diagnosis; methods for preventing and/or treating cancer or infectious diseases; and methods for diagnosing are disclosed.

The present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding a recombinant human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strain, dense bodies produced by said HCMV strain and preparations of said dense bodies for use in medicine, particularly as a vaccine against HCMV.

Compositions and methods are presented that allow for detection and prediction of an immune response in a subject that is selected to receive or that has received a vaccine. In selected embodiments, whole blood is used as starting material to obtain both dendritic cells and T cells, and synthetic or recombinant polypeptide(s) are used that include an antigen of the vaccine. The dendritic cells are then exposed to the synthetic or recombinant polypeptide(s), and thusly exposed dendritic cells are combined with the T cells to generate antigen reactive T cells. For detection or quantification, the antigen reactive T cells are expanded in vitro prior to ELISPOT or FACS analysis. Advantageously, such systems and methods are especially suitable for ascertaining an immune response against cancer antigens following vaccination with an anti-cancer vaccine.

Methods for generating/expanding populations of immune cells comprising immune cells specific for an Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) lytic antigen are disclosed, the methods comprising stimulating immune cells specific for an EBV lytic antigen by contacting peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with: (i) one or more peptides corresponding to all or part of one or more EBV lytic antigens; or (ii) antigen presenting cells (APCs) presenting one or more peptides corresponding to all or part of one or more EBV lytic antigens. Also disclosed are populations of immune cells comprising immune cells specific for an EBV lytic antigen expanded according to such methods, and uses thereof.

The invention relates to an immunogenic composition comprising an HCMV gB antigen, an HCMV gH/gL/UL128/UL130/UL131 pentameric complex antigen and a Th1-inducing adjuvant. If further relates to the immunogenic composition for use as an HCMV vaccine.

A method for treating a patient comprising: (a) providing a composition comprising a population of T cells expressing both a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and a T cell receptor specific for a cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigen; (b) administering the composition to the patient; and (c) administering to the patient a viral vector encoding: (i) CMV pp65 and (ii) a fusion protein comprising exon 4 of CMV protein IE1 (e4) and exon 5 of CMV protein 1E2 (e5) either prior to or subsequent to administering the composition comprising a population of T cells to the patient is described.

This document provides methods and materials relating to isolated polypeptides, polypeptide preparations, vaccine preparations (e.g., anti-cancer vaccine preparations), and methods for vaccinating mammals. For example, polypeptides (e.g., CMV, MUC1, HER2, Mesothelin (MESO), TRAG-3, or CALR polypeptides) having the ability to be processed into different polypeptides such that the processed polypeptides as a group are capable of being presented by different MHC molecules present in a particular mammalian population are provided.

Disclosed are methods of producing poxvirus-based vectors or recombinant poxvirus-based vectors from naturally derived, chemically synthesized DNA fragments, or a combination of naturally derived and chemically synthesized DNA fragments. One or more DNA sequences encoding one or more antigens, subunits or fragments thereof or other heterologous gene sequences are inserted in one or more poxvirus insertion sites in one or more DNA fragments. The methods include transfecting a host cell with one or more circular or linear DNA fragments such that a poxvirus or recombinant poxvirus is reconstituted in the host cell, the reconstituted poxvirus or recombinant poxvirus comprising the genome of a desired poxvirus. Also disclosed are poxviruses or recombinant poxviruses produced by the technology and uses thereof.

The disclosure describes HCMV ribonucleic acid (RNA) vaccines, as well as methods of using the vaccines and compositions comprising the vaccines.

Aspects of the invention relate to methods for producing an antigen-specific immune response to human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) in a subject by administering mRNA vaccines comprising hCMV antigenic polypeptides gH, gL, UL128, UL130, UL131 A and gB formulated in lipid nanoparticles, wherein the antigen-specific immune response to hCMV results in neutralizing antibodies that have i) a geometric mean titer of at least 3-fold against epithelial cell infection or ii) a geometric mean ratio of 9-41 against epithelial cell infection or iii) a geometric mean ratio of 4-8-fold against fibroblast infection.