The present invention relates to the field of ophthalmology. More specifically, the present invention provides compositions and methods useful for screening for drugs to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD) including geographic atrophy (GA). In one embodiment, a method comprises the steps of (a) administering a drug to a mammal, wherein the mammal comprises a rat or a mouse; (b) enucleating the eyes of the mammal; (c) removing the anterior eye and excising the retina from the eye, wherein the eye comprises an eyecup that comprises choroidal mast cells (MCs); and (d) measuring mast cell degranulation. In an alternative embodiment, a method of the present invention can comprise the steps of (a) contacting an eyecup of a mammal with a drug, wherein the eyecup comprises choroidal mast cells; and (b) measuring MC degranulation.

Diagnostic platforms for the detection of mucinous and high grade cysts in the pancreas of subjects are provided. The disclosure provides a system comprising enzyme specific substrate, that are specific for detection and/or quantification of serine protease TPP-1, the value of which corresponding to a determination of whether a mucinous cyst in the pancreas is malignant or benign. The disclosure also provides for a two-step method, in which a sample from a pancreatic cyst is determined mucinous by detection and/or quantification of aspartyl protease expression, and then the same cyst is determined high grade dysplasia or malignant by detection and/or quantification of serine protease expression.

Excessive deposition of extracellular matrix is a hallmark of Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), it is advantageous to target the cells and the mechanisms associated with this process. By targeting myofibroblasts (specialized contractile fibroblasts) that are key for the development of IPF with drugs conjugated with fibroblast activation protein (FAP). this technology helps minimize the production of extracellular matrix in the lungs and provides a new treatment option for patients diagnosed with IPF.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the in vitro diagnosis of prostate cancer, wherein said compositions comprise an antibody binding to progastrin and said methods comprise the use of an antibody binding to progastrin.

The present invention relates to a method for monitoring kinase activity or activation in a sample, the method comprises the steps of a) providing a sample comprising a kinase, b) incubating the sample with a protease to cleave the kinase provided in step a) into protease specific proteolytic peptides, c) applying phosphopeptide enrichment to the sample, d) analysing the sample obtained in step c) via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and e) detecting phosphorylations of the kinase provided in step a), wherein the detection of step e) is performed only in case a proteolytic peptide associated with the activation region of the kinase is identified.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the prevention or the treatment of prostate cancer, wherein said compositions comprise an antibody binding to progastrin and said methods comprise the use of an antibody binding to progastrin.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a molecular sensor that is specific for a target molecule having a saccharide or peptide region. The method comprises using the target molecule as a template and incubating the template with a receptor to form a template-receptor complex. A molecular scaffold is formed on a surface around the template-receptor complex such that the receptor and at least a portion of the template are embedded in the scaffold, and the template is removed to produce a cavity defined by the scaffold, such that the cavity is complementary to at least a portion of the saccharide or peptide region of the target molecule.

The invention relates to a method for in vitro investigating mitochondrial replication dysfunction in a biological sample removed from a subject susceptible of suffering from physiological ageing or physiopathological conditions related to physiological ageing, or physiopathological ageing or associated symptoms or conditions, in particular premature ageing or accelerated ageing, or of a progeroid syndrome, such as Cockayne syndrome (CS), or neurodegenerative disorders or symptoms thereof, in which the levels of at least one species selected in the group of: POLG1 protein, POLG1 RNA, POLG2 protein, protease(s) which have POLG as a target, in particular serine protease(s) such as HTRA3 protein, HTRA2 protein and, HTRA3 RNA or HTRA2 RNA, or any combination of these species, are investigated. The invention also relates to kits and uses thereof, therapeutic methods against progeroid-like syndromes or symptoms and screening method for identifying particular protease inhibitor(s) and/or nitroso-redox stress scavenger compound(s) having relevance for the symptoms discussed herein.

Excessive deposition of extracellular matrix is a hallmark of Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), it is advantageous to target the cells and the mechanisms associated with this process. By targeting myofibroblasts (specialized contractile fibroblasts) that are key for the development of IPF with drugs conjugated with fibroblast activation protein (FAP), this technology helps minimize the production of extracellular matrix in the lungs and provides a new treatment option for patients diagnosed with IPF.

Disclosed herein are compositions, kits and methods for determining the concentration of fluid-phase MASP-2/C1-INH complex in a biological fluid, such as a biological fluid obtained from a subject infected with SARS-CoV-2. Also disclosed are methods of using said compositions, methods and kits for detection of MASP-2/C1-INH complex to determine the status of lectin pathway activation in a mammalian subject and thereby assess the risk of a subject that is or has been infected with SARS-CoV-2 for developing COVID-19-related ARDS or other poor outcome, or determine the need for treatment or efficacy of treatment of a subject in need thereof with a complement inhibitor such as a MASP-2 inhibitory agent.