Abstract: Polypeptides comprising a fragment of a teleost invariant chain fused to one or more antigens can enhance T cell response. Alternatively a teleost invariant chain fused to one or more antigens or antigenic fragments thereof can be used. A polynucleotide encoding such polypeptides, vectors comprising such polynucleotides, collection of vectors comprising such polynucleotides are also disclosed. The use of such polypeptides, polynucleotides, vectors for treating or preventing diseases, in particular tumor diseases are also encompassed by the present invention. The teleost invariant chain polypeptides or fragments thereof act as “T cell enhancer” converting non-immunogenic antigenic sequences into immunogenic T cell antigens.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of selecting a collection of frame-shift peptides (CFSPs) to produce a universal cancer vaccine peptide collection (CVP) for prophylaxis and treatment of patients with hereditary and sporadic micro-satellite instability (MSI) tumors. This invention relates as well to a method of producing a CVP by selecting a subset of frame-shift peptides (FSPs) from the CFSP and optionally modifying the FSP's amino acid (aa) sequence to generate modified FSPs (mFSPs). The invention further relates to nucleic acid collections encoding a CVP of FSPs and/or mFSPs in one or more vaccine vectors that can be used also simultaneously. These CVPs, nucleic acids and vectors are used for the prophylaxis or treatment of MSI cancers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides comprising a fragment of a teleost invariant chain optionally fused to one or more antigens or a teleost invariant chain fused to one or more antigens or antigenic fragments thereof, a polynucleotide encoding such polypeptides, vectors comprising such polynucleotides, collection of vectors comprising such polynucleotides and use of such polypeptides, polynucleotides, vectors for treating or preventing diseases, in particular tumor diseases. The teleost invariant chain polypeptides or fragments thereof act as “T cell enhancer” converting non-immunogenic antigenic sequences into immunogenic T cell antigens.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for selecting cancer neoantigens for use in a personalized vaccine. This invention relates as well to a method for constructing a vector or collection of vectors carrying the neoantigens for a personalized vaccine. This invention further relates to vector and collection of vectors comprising the personalized genetic vaccine and the use of said vectors in cancer treatment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides comprising a fragment of a teleost invariant chain optionally fused to one or more antigens or a teleost invariant chain fused to one or more antigens or antigenic fragments thereof, a polynucleotide encoding such polypeptides, vectors comprising such polynucleotides, collection of vectors comprising such polynucleotides and use of such polypeptides, polynucleotides, vectors for treating or preventing diseases, in particular tumor diseases. The teleost invariant chain polypeptides or fragments thereof act as “T cell enhancer” converting non-immunogenic antigenic sequences into immunogenic T cell antigens.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for treating a subject having cancer by administering to the subject a neoantigen-based vaccine composition and a long acting, IL-2RP?-selective agonist composition comprised of compounds of Formula (I), and optionally, an anti-PD-1 antibody.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polypeptide comprising at least four different tumor-specific neo-antigens fused to, at least one T cell enhancer amino acid sequence, a nucleic acid sequence encoding such polypeptide, a vector comprising such nucleic acid sequence and a collection of vectors comprising such vectors. Further provided are compositions of matter comprising in admixture or separately a vaccine comprising the polypeptide, the nucleic acid sequence the vector or the collection of vectors of the invention and at least one modulator of a checkpoint molecule or another type of immunomodulator for use in treating cancer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of selecting a collection of frame-shift peptides (CFSPs) to produce a universal cancer vaccine peptide collection (CVP) for prophylaxis and treatment of patients with hereditary and sporadic micro-satellite instability (MSI) tumors. This invention relates as well to a method of producing a CVP by selecting a subset of frame-shift peptides (FSPs) from the CFSP and optionally modifying the FSP's amino acid (aa) sequence to generate modified FSPs (mFSPs). The invention further relates to nucleic acid collections encoding a CVP of FSPs and/or mFSPs in one or more vaccine vectors that can be used also simultaneously. These CVPs, nucleic acids and vectors are used for the prophylaxis or treatment of MSI cancers.

Abstract: Polynucleotides encoding telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) fusion proteins are provided, the TERT fusion proteins comprising a TERT protein, or functional variant thereof, fused to a substantial portion of the B subunit of heat labile enterotoxin (LTB). TERT variants useful in TERT-LTB fusion proteins of the invention comprise mutations that function to eliminate telomerase catalytic activity. The polynucleotides of the present invention can elicit an immune response in a mammal, which, in preferred embodiments, is stronger than the immune response elicited by a wild-type TERT. TERT expression is commonly associated with the development of human carcinomas. The present invention provides compositions and methods to elicit or enhance immunity to the protein product expressed by the TERT tumor-associated antigen, wherein aberrant TERT expression is associated with a carcinoma or its development.

Abstract: The present invention provides minigenes suitable as a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine against conditions such as cancer, infectious diseases or autoimmune diseases, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the minigene. The minigenes of the present invention comprise (a) a human tissue plasminogen signal peptide; (b) at least one T-cell epitope; and (c) an E. coli heat labile enterotoxin B subunit; wherein the at least one T-cell epitope is linked to the rest of the minigene, and to any other epitopes, by furin sensitive linkers. In some embodiments of the invention, the minigene comprises T-cell epitopes from one or more of CEA, her-2/neu and hTERT. Also provided herein are immunogenic peptide epitopes of CEA, her-2/neu and hTERT, as well as immunogenic peptide analogs, and pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising one or more of said peptides and analogs for prophylaxis and/or treatment of cancer or other disorder.

Abstract: Polynucleotides encoding telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) fusion proteins are provided, the TERT fusion proteins comprising a TERT protein, or functional variant thereof, fused to a substantial portion of the B subunit of heat labile enterotoxin (LTB). TERT variants useful in TERT-LTB fusion proteins of the invention comprise mutations that function to eliminate telomerase catalytic activity. The polynucleotides of the present invention can elicit an immune response in a mammal, which, in preferred embodiments, is stronger than the immune response elicited by a wild-type TERT. TERT expression is commonly associated with the development of human carcinomas. The present invention provides compositions and methods to elicit or enhance immunity to the protein product expressed by the TERT tumor-associated antigen, wherein aberrant TERT expression is associated with a carcinoma or its development.

Abstract: The present invention features methods of screening for compounds that inhibit HCV binding to a cell, methods of inhibiting IICV entry into a cell, and methods of actively or prophylactically treating against an IICV infection. The different methods are based on the identification of the scavenger receptor class B type I as a target site for HCV E2 binding to a cell.