Abstract: Therapeutic vaccines comprising polypeptides expressed during the latent stage of mycobacteria infection are provided, as are multiphase vaccines, and methods for treating and preventing tuberculosis.

Abstract: Vaccination with the combination of Ag85B-TB10.4 and IC31® adjuvant generated a high amount of polyfunctional CD4+T cells expressing high levels of IFN-?, TNF-?, and IL-2. This in turn led to significant protection against infection with M. tuberculosis in the mouse aerosol challenge model of tuberculosis. Both the immunogenicity of the vaccine and its ability to protect against TB infection was highly dependent on the antigen dose. Thus, whereas the standard antigen dose of 5 ?g, as well as 15 ?g, did not induce significant protection against M. tuberculosis, reducing the dose to 0.5 ?g increased both the immunogenicity of the vaccine as well as its protective efficacy to a level comparable to that observed in BCG vaccinated mice. Thus, the IC31® adjuvant, with the specified antigen dose, can induce a strong protective Th1 response against M. tuberculosis.

Abstract: A diagnostic test and method is provided comprising mixing blood or another biological fluid sample with a test compound and spotting the blood on filter paper for subsequent analysis of the effect of the test compound on the blood. The biological fluid can be a cerebrospinal fluid, a peritoneal fluid, a cyst fluid, an amniotic fluid, a lavage fluid, a saliva, a cell extract or a tissue extract. The compound is chosen among an amino acid, a peptide, a protein, a carbohydrate, an oligosaccharide, a polysaccharide, a glycoprotein, a lipid, a lipoprotein, a glycosaminoglycan, a hormone, a steroid, a vitamin, a low molecular weight synthetic or natural compound which influences the blood to cause an alteration of its composition, e.g., a toxin, allergen, autoantigen, bacterial protein or polysaccharide, viral protein, fungal protein or polysaccharide, parasitic protein or polysaccharide, bacterial lipopolysaccharide or any other compound relevant to diseases.

Abstract: A convenient way of inducing a broad recognition of dominant and subdominant responses to epitopes of any given antigen of importance for prophylaxis or treatment of a chronic disease is provided. The method involves by immunizing with pools of overlapping fragments (synthetic peptides, e.g., 10-30 mers with 2-20 aa overlap) of the desired antigen in appropriate adjuvants. The T cell repertoire is primed to include not only the immunodominant epitope recognized when the intact molecule is used for immunization and induced by the chronic infection itself, but induce a much broader and balanced response to a number of the subdominant epitopes as well. The vaccination with peptide mix induces a T-cell response that includes response to subdominant epitopes is important for protection against chronic disease that on their own induces a response focused only on immunodominant epitopes.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of 1,3-bis-aromatic-prop-2-en-1-ones (chalcones), 1,3-bis-aromatic-propan-1-ones (dihydrochalcones), and 1,3-bis-aromatic-prop-2-yn-1-ones for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment or prophylaxis of a number of serious diseases including i) conditions relating to harmful effects of inflammatory cytokines, ii) conditions involving infection by Helicobacter species, iii) conditions involving infection by viruses, iv) neoplastic disorders, and v) conditions caused by microorganisms or parasites. The invention also relates to novel chalcones and dihydrochalcones (especially alkoxy substituted variants) having advantageous substitution patterns with respect to their effect as drug substances, and to methods of preparing them, as well as to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel chalcones.

Abstract: A purification process for large-scale production of Gc-globulin is described. The source of Gc-globulin is preferably a crude plasma fraction but can be any solution, suspension or supernatant containing Gc-globulin, e.g., a milk product, colostrum or a fermentation broth. The Gc-globulin can be plasma-derived or produced by a genetic modified organism. The process includes two key elements: purification by series of ion exchange chromatography steps, and performing at least two virus-reduction steps. A diagnostic method to measure the free Gc-globulin in a patient blood sample, a use of Gc-globulin in medicine and the preparation of a Gc-globulin medicinal product is also provided. The product can be used in therapy for patients with circulatory disorders and complications, i.e., where it is contemplated that said patients would benefit from the administration of Gc-globulin.

Abstract: The invention is for a method of quantitatively analysing the hexose monophosphate (HMP) composition of a biological sample, preferably a dried blood sample, using tandem mass spectrometry and for a method for quantitatively analysing the abundance of amino acids acylcarnitines and HMP from the same biological sample (such as a dried blood spot sample). The method is useful in screening infants for galactosemia and can be integrated with a method of screening for disorders in the metabolism of amino acids, organic acids and fatty acids.