Abstract: ?-mannosylceramides or salts or solvates thereof in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for use as a Type I NKT cell agonist in conjunction with a therapeutically effective amount of ?-galactosylceramide or a salt or a solvate thereof, and/or at least one or more T-cell co-stimulatory molecules, disclosed. Compositions comprising ?-mannosylceramide, as well as methods of treatment of tumors are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides peptides and proteins for use in second generation HIV vaccines and as diagnostic tools in the treatment and control of HIV infection. The antiviral protection shown by compositions of the present invention has not been previously achieved with an HLA epitope-enhanced vaccine. These findings define a critical balance between MHC affinity and receptor crossreactivity required for effective epitope enhancement and also demonstrate construction and efficacy of such a component of a new generation vaccine.

Abstract: POTE has recently been identified as a tumor antigen expressed in a variety of human cancers, including colon, ovarian, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer. Described herein are immunogenic POTE polypeptides, including modified POTE polypeptides, that bind MHC class I molecules. The immunogenic POTE polypeptides are capable of inducing an immune response against POTE-expressing tumor cells. Thus, provided herein is a method of eliciting an immune response in a subject, such as a subject having a type of cancer that expresses POTE.

Abstract: The invention is directed to compositions capable of augmenting the immunogenicity of a vaccine. The composition, or adjuvant, is administered to a mammal in need thereof in sequential or concurrent combination with a vaccine antigen. In one preferred aspect, the adjuvant is provided in the form of a recombinant poxvirus vector, such as a vaccinia virus vector, which comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding IL-15.

Abstract: ?-mannosylceramides or salts or solvates thereof in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for use as a Type I NKT cell agonist in conjunction with a therapeutically effective amount of ?-galactosylceramide or a salt or a solvate thereof, and/or at least one or more T-cell co-stimulatory molecules, disclosed. Compositions comprising ?-mannosylceramide, as well as methods of treatment of tumors are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions comprising a vector including a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a peptide having the sequence X1LYQYMDDV, wherein X1 is any hydrophobic amino acid. The compositions are used to induce an immune response against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Abstract: POTE has recently been identified as a tumor antigen expressed in a variety of human cancers, including colon, ovarian, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer. Described herein are immunogenic POTE polypeptides, including modified POTE polypeptides, that bind MHC class I molecules. The immunogenic POTE polypeptides are capable of inducing an immune response against POTE-expressing tumor cells. Thus, provided herein is a method of eliciting an immune response in a subject, such as a subject having a type of cancer that expresses POTE.

Abstract: ?-mannosylceramides or salts or solvates thereof in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for use as a Type I NKT cell agonist in conjunction with a therapeutically effective amount of ?-galactosylceramide or a salt or a solvate thereof, and/or at least one or more T-cell co-stimulatory molecules, disclosed. Compositions comprising ?-mannosylceramide, as well as methods of treatment of tumors are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are immunogenic peptides, related fusion proteins, nucleic acids encoding the peptides or fusion proteins, conjugates, expression vectors, host cells, and antibodies. Also, disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions, vaccines for use in the treatment or prevention of cancer, e.g., alveolar rhabodomyosarcoma, methods of stimulating a T cell to kill a tumor cell, methods of stimulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and methods of treating or preventing cancer are further provided herein.

Abstract: The invention is directed to compositions capable of augmenting the immunogenicity of a vaccine. The composition, or adjuvant, is administered to a mammal in need thereof in sequential or concurrent combination with a vaccine antigen. In one preferred aspect, the adjuvant is provided in the form of a recombinant poxvirus vector, such as a vaccinia virus vector, which comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding IL-15.

Abstract: Disclosed are immunogenic peptides, related fusion proteins, nucleic acids encoding the peptides or fusion proteins, conjugates, expression vectors, host cells, and antibodies. Also, disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions, vaccines for use in the treatment or prevention of cancer, e.g., alveolar rhabodomyosarcoma, methods of stimulating a T cell to kill a tumor cell, methods of stimulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and methods of treating or preventing cancer are further provided herein.

Abstract: XAGE-1 is a gene expressed in a number of important human cancers, including prostate cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, glioblastoma, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma. It has now been discovered that peptides of fifty or fewer amino acids comprising the sequence X1X2X3PSAPSPX4 (SEQ ID NO:5), where X1 is any amino acid and is preferably G or Y; X2 is selected from the group consisting of L, M, A, I, V, and T, with L and M being preferred; X3 is a hydrophobic residue, M or A; and X4 is V, M, L, A, I, or T, and is preferably V, bind to the HLA-A2 MHC class I molecule, and can be used to raise immune responses to XAGE-1-expressing cancers. In some embodiments, the P at position 7, the S at position 8, or the P at position 9, can be omitted to create a 9 amino acid peptide.

Abstract: POTE has recently been identified as a tumor antigen expressed in a variety of human cancers, including colon, ovarian, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer. Described herein are immunogenic POTE polypeptides, including modified POTE polypeptides, that bind MHC class I molecules. The immunogenic POTE polypeptides are capable of inducing an immune response against POTE-expressing tumor cells. Thus, provided herein is a method of eliciting an immune response in a subject, such as a subject having a type of cancer that expresses POTE.

Abstract: ?-mannosylceramides or salts or solvates thereof in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for use as a Type I NKT cell agonist in conjunction with a therapeutically effective amount of ?-galactosylceramide or a salt or a solvate thereof, and/or at least one or more T-cell co-stimulatory molecules, disclosed. Compositions comprising ?-mannosylceramide, as well as methods of treatment of tumors are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for treating or preventing cancer involving the use of a TNF-alpha antagonist, an IL-13R?2 antagonist, and/or a AP-I antagonist.

Abstract: Immunogenic T-cell receptor gamma Alternate Reading Frame Protein (TARP) polypeptides are disclosed herein. These immunogenic TARP polypeptides include nine consecutive amino acids of the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and do not comprise amino acids 1-26 or amino acids 38-58 of SEQ ID NO: 1. Several specific, non-limiting examples of these polypeptides are set forth as SEQ ID NOs: 3-7. Nucleic acids encoding these polypeptides, and host cells transfected with these nucleic acids, are also disclosed. Methods of using these polypeptides, and polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides, for the treatment of breast and prostate cancer are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are immunogenic peptides, related fusion proteins, nucleic acids encoding the peptides or fusion proteins, conjugates, expression vectors, host cells, and antibodies. Also, disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions, vaccines for use in the treatment or prevention of cancer, e.g., alveolar rhabodomyosarcoma, methods of stimulating a T cell to kill a tumor cell, methods of stimulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and methods of treating or preventing cancer are further provided herein.

Abstract: Disclosed are immunogenic peptides, related fusion proteins, nucleic acids encoding the peptides or fusion proteins, conjugates, expression vectors, host cells, and antibodies. Also, disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions, vaccines for use in the treatment or prevention of cancer, e.g., alveolar rhabodomyosarcoma, methods of stimulating a T cell to kill a tumor cell, methods of stimulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and methods of treating or preventing cancer are further provided herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides peptides and proteins for use in second generation HIV vaccines and as diagnostic tools in the treatment and control of HIV infection. The antiviral protection shown by compositions of the present invention has not been previously achieved with an HLA epitope-enhanced vaccine. These findings define a critical balance between MHC affinity and receptor crossreactivity required for effective epitope enhancement and also demonstrate construction and efficacy of such a component of a new generation vaccine.

Abstract: The present invention provides immunostimulatory combinations of TLR ligands and therapeutic and/or prophylactic methods that include administering an immunostimulatory combination to a subject. In general, the immunostimulatory combinations described herein can provide an increased immune response compared to other immunostimulatory combinations and/or compositions.