Abstract: The present invention provides optionally substituted compounds of the formula I or salts thereof; wherein R1 is O or S when double bonded to the ring or is OH, SH, or a protected equivalent, when single bonded to the ring, R2 is hydrogen or more preferably an C1-C10 organic group attached by a carbon atom, X is H, O, OO, S or SS R3 is absent where X?H, is hydrogen or is a hydroxyl or thiol protecting group, R4 is a hetero- or preferably homo-cyclic aryl group, optionally substituted with a further group R5 and groups T1 are each, independently, absent, hydrogen or an S—R6 group, where any/each R6 is independently an organic group of molecular weight up to around 500 amu. The invention further provides a method for the synthesis of such compounds and a method of treatment comprising administering such compounds to a mammalian subject.

Abstract: The invention relates to immunotherapy using dendritic cells (DCs). More specifically, it relates to methods for the maturation of DCs, a mature DC population and clinical uses thereof. Provided is a method for the ex vivo maturation of DCs, comprising providing immature DCs and contacting the immature DCs with an effective concentration of a non-toxic TLR4 agonist, such as Monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) or Diphosphoryl lipid A (DPLA), and an interferon gamma (IFNg) receptor agonist, under culture conditions suitable for maturation of the immature DCs to form a mature DC population. Also provided is an isolated population of mature DCs, preferably human mature DCs, and the use thereof in immunotherapy.