The present invention relates to artificial antigen presenting cell (aAPC) scaffolds to provide cells with specific functional stimulation to obtain phenotypic and functional properties ideal to mediate tumor regression or viral clearance. In particular, the scaffolds of the present invention comprise antigens, such as peptide-MHC (pMHC) class I molecules, and specific combinations of cytokines and co-stimulatory molecules to allow effective expansion and functional stimulation of specific T cells.

The present invention relates to peptides, and amino acid and peptide conjugates, methods for making amino acid and peptide conjugates, conjugates produced by the methods, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the peptides and conjugates, methods of eliciting immune responses in a subject and methods of vaccinating a subject, uses of the peptides and conjugates for the same, and uses of the peptides and conjugates in the manufacture of medicaments for the same.

Described herein are implantable devices comprising cells engineered to express and secrete antigens of infectious agents. The devices are useful for inducing protective immune responses against infectious agents.

Disclosed herein are compositions that include antigen-encoding nucleic acid sequences and/or antigen peptides. Also disclosed are nucleotides, cells, and methods associated with the compositions including their use as vaccines, including vectors and methods for a heterologous prime/boost vaccincation strategy.

The antigen-presenting cell loaded with the cancer-specific tumor antigen epitope provided in the present invention, that is, a dendritic cell enables rapid and effective induction of differentiation and proliferation of cancer antigen-specific T cells, preferably memory T cells, and the memory T cells thus activated can treat a cancerous or neoplastic condition or prevent recurrence, progression, or metastasis of cancer while avoiding the defense mechanism of cancer cells.

Disclosed herein is the use of a first population of allogeneic T-cells recognizing a first EBV epitope, and a second allogeneic population recognizing a second EBV epitope in the treatment of EBV-associated disorders. Also disclosed is the use of a population of allogeneic T-cells recognizing an EBV antigen in combination with a further therapeutic agent such as an immunotherapeutic agent, a MAPK, BET or MEK. pathway inhibitor for treating EBV-associated disease.

The present invention relates to the construction and application of a fusion protein vaccine platform. The present invention provides a vaccine, comprising a fusion protein containing an interferon-target antigen-immunoglobulin Fc region (or antibody) and a Th cell helper epitope. The present invention also relates to use of a fusion protein containing an interferon-target antigen-immunoglobulin Fc region (or antibody) and a Th cell helper epitope in the preparation of prophylactic or therapeutic compositions. The vaccine of the present invention can be produced by eukaryotic cell expression systems to prepare wild-type and various mutant antigen vaccines, and vaccination by means of subcutaneous/muscular or nasal or other routes can lead to a strong immune response to a body. The vaccine of the present invention can be used as a prophylactic or therapeutic 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 present disclosure provides fusion proteins with improved signaling properties. Disclosed embodiments include fusion proteins that comprise an extracellular component comprising a target-binding domain, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular component comprising a SH2 domain or a functional portion or variant thereof, and have improved signaling in response to antigen-binding, including of solid-tumor antigens with low levels of expression. Recombinant host cells expressing the fusion proteins, and polynucleotides encoding the fusion proteins, are also provided, as are compositions and methods comprising the same.

Methods of altering viral latency, sensitizing EBV+ tumors, or modulating viral immunogenicity, are provided.