Provided herein are methods for preventing or treating a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in a subject. The methods include administering to the subject (a) a reservoir-depleting agent that binds to a host protein on a reservoir cell, and (b) an antiviral vaccine.

The current invention involves the use of protein lectins produced by plants including the non-toxic carbohydrate binding subunits (B subunits) of plant “AB toxins” (PTB lectins) as delivery vehicles for mobilizing associated drug substances for delivery to animal and human cells. The resulting protein fusions or conjugates retain lectin carbohydrate specificity for binding to cells and cellular trafficking activity so as to deliver an associated drug compound to the site of disease manifestation. One embodiment of this invention concerns the ability of ricin toxin B subunit, as a model PTB lectin, to deliver enzyme replacement therapeutic drugs to cells of several organs of the body including the brain and central nervous system, eyes, ears, lungs, bone, heart, kidney, liver, and spleen for treating lysosomal diseases.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a medicament for killing tumor cells, having few side effects. According to the present invention, provided is a medicament for killing tumor cells, comprising: a conjugate of a substance that binds to a target substance on the surface of tumor cells and a cytotoxin; and Talaporfin Sodium, Porfimer Sodium or Verteporfin.

An immunotoxin for use in the treatment of leishmaniasis A wherein the immunotoxin comprises a portion which is specifically binding to the cellular surface receptor CD64 as a component A and a cell killing portion as a component B, wherein the cell killing portion alters the function, gene expression, or viability of a cell thereby killing Leishmania-infected macrophages and by this eliminates Leishmania.

The present invention provides compositions for targeting SAS1B positive cancer cells using immunotoxin technology and discloses that kidney and pancreatic cancer cells are SAS1B positive, but not normal kidney and pancreatic cells. The invention discloses that despite being expressed only in growing oocytes in females among normal tissues SAS1B is expressed in cancers of both men and women.

The present invention is directed to protocells for specific targeting of hepatocellular and other cancer cells which comprise a nanoporous silica core with a supported lipid bilayer; at least one agent which facilitates cancer cell death (such as a traditional small molecule, a macromolecular cargo (e.g. siRNA or a protein toxin such as ricin toxin A-chain or diphtheria toxin A-chain) and/or a histone-packaged plasmid DNA disposed within the nanoporous silica core (preferably supercoiled in order to more efficiently package the DNA into protocells) which is optionally modified with a nuclear localization sequence to assist in localizing protocells within the nucleus of the cancer cell and the ability to express peptides involved in therapy (apoptosis/cell death) of the cancer cell or as a reporter, a targeting peptide which targets cancer cells in tissue to be treated such that binding of the protocell to the targeted cells is specific and enhanced and a fusogenic peptide that promotes endosomal escape of protocells and encapsulated DNA. Protocells according to the present invention may be used to treat cancer, especially including hepatocellular (liver) cancer using novel binding peptides (c-MET peptides) which selectively bind to hepatocellular tissue or to function in diagnosis of cancer, including cancer treatment and drug discovery.

The current invention involves the use of protein lectins produced by plants including the non-toxic carbohydrate binding subunits (B subunits) of plant “AB toxins” (PTB lectins) as delivery vehicles for mobilizing associated drug substances for delivery to animal and human cells. The resulting protein fusions or conjugates retain lectin carbohydrate specificity for binding to cells and cellular trafficking activity so as to deliver an associated drug compound to the site of disease manifestation. One embodiment of this invention concerns the ability of ricin toxin B subunit, as a model PTB lectin, to deliver enzyme replacement therapeutic drugs to cells of several organs of the body including the brain and central nervous system, eyes, ears, lungs, bone, heart, kidney, liver, and spleen for treating lysosomal diseases.

Novel modulators, including antibodies and derivatives thereof, and methods of such modulators to treat hyperproliferative disorders are provided.

The present disclosure relates to novel glycosynthase enzymes for glycoprotein engineering and/or homogeneous antibody remodeling. The enzyme variants, termed EndoSd-D232M and EndoSz-D234M, contain the glycan conjugation and/or modification activity at the conserved N297 glycosylation site of Fc region of an exemplary antibody. It has been demonstrated that the glycosynthase activities of EndoSd-D232M and EndoSz-D234M can be applied to various mAbs targeting different receptors, including, but not limited to, Globo H, SSEA-4, SSEA-3 series of receptors (OBI-888; Globo H ganglioside), Herceptin (Her 2 receptor), Perj eta (Her 2 receptor) and Vectibix (EGFR receptor). It has been found that both mAb-GlcNAc and mAb-GlucNAc(F) were suitable substrates for both EndoSd-D232M and EndoSz-D234M. The ADCC assay of related products, OBI-888-G2S2 and Herceptin-G2S2, showed that the remodeled homogeneous antibody, mAb-G2S2, has an increased relative activity ranging from 3 to 26 folds.

Provided herein are HER2-targeting molecules comprising Shiga toxin A Subunit derived polypeptides having 1) de-immunization and 2) reduced, protease-cleavage sensitivity while retaining Shiga toxin function(s), such as, e.g., potent cytotoxicity via ribosome inhibition. Certain HER2-targeting molecules of the present invention exhibit reduced immunogenic potential in mammals and are well-tolerated by mammals while retaining aforementioned features. The HER2-targeting molecules of the present invention have uses for selectively killing specific cells (e.g., HER positive tumor cells); for selectively delivering cargos to specific cells (e.g., HER positive tumor cells), and as therapeutic and/or diagnostic molecules for treating and diagnosing a variety of conditions, including cancers and tumors involving the expression or over-expression of cell-surface HER2.