Abstract: The present invention is directed to compounds and methods for the treatment of cancer. The compounds of this invention have specificity for EphA2, an epithelial cell tyrosine kinase that is overexpressed in metastatic tumor cells. The compounds used in accordance with this invention may be provided in a pharmaceutical composition for treatment of metastatic cancer.

Abstract: EphA2 T-cell epitope are provided herein. The epitopes include peptides corresponding to specific fragments of human EphA2 protein containing one or more T-cell epitopes, and conservative derivatives thereof. The EphA2 T-cell epitopes are useful in an assay, such as an ELISPOT assay, that may be used to determine and/or quantify a patient's immune responsiveness to EphA2. The epitopes also are useful in methods of modulating a patient's immune reactivity to EphA2, which has substantial utility as a treatment for cancers that overexpress EphA2, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The EphA2 epitopes also can be used to vaccinate a patient against EphA2, by in vivo or ex vivo methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions designed for the treatment, management, or prevention of cancer, particularly metastatic cancer and cancers of T cell origin, and hyperproliferative diseases involving EphA2-expressing cells. The methods of the invention entail the use of a Listeria-based EphA2 vaccine. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more Listeria-based vaccines of the invention either alone or in combination with one or more other agents useful for cancer therapy. In certain aspects of the invention, the methods entail eliciting both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses against EphA2 and/or EphA2-expressing cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of antitumor compositions capable of inhibiting PCDGF biological activity for the treatment of cancers. In particular the present invention relates to the use of PCDGF antagonist, e.g., antibodies that prevent PCDGF from binding its receptor, Rse (also referred to as “Sky” and “Tyro3”).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to compounds and methods for the treatment of metastatic disease. The compounds of this invention have specificity for EphA2, an epithelial cell tyrosine kinase that is overexpressed in metastatic tumor-cells. The compounds used in accordance with this invention may be provided in a pharmaceutical composition for treatment of metastatic disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions designed for the treatment, management, or prevention of cancer, particularly, metastatic cancer. The methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more antibodies that bind to and agonize EphA2, thereby increasing EphA2 phosphorylation and decreasing EphA2 levels in cells which EphA2 has been agonized. The invention also encompasses antibodies that preferentially bind an EphA2 epitope exposed on cancer cells but not non-cancer cells. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more EphA2 antibodies of the invention either alone or in combination with one or more other agents useful for cancer therapy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions designed for the treatment, management, or prevention of a hyperproliferative cell disease, particularly cancer. The methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of a composition that targets cells expressing an Eph family receptor tyrosine kinase, such as EphA2 or EphA4, for the treatment, management, or prevention of hyperproliferative diseases, particularly cancer. In one embodiment, the method of the invention comprises administering to a subject a composition comprising an EphA2 or EphA4 targeting moiety attached to a delivery vehicle, and one or more therapeutic or prophylactic agents that treat or prevent a hyperproliferative disease, where the therapeutic or prophylactic agents are operatively associated with the delivery vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions designed for treatment, management, or prevention of a hyperproliferative cell disease, particular cancer. The methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of a composition that targets cells expressing low molecular weight protein tyrosine kinase (“LMW-PTP”) in particular using moieties that bind an Eph family receptor tyrosine kinase, such as EphA2 or EphA4, and inhibits or reduces LMW-PTP expression and/or activity. In one embodiment, the method of the invention comprises administering to a subject a composition comprising an EphA2 or EphA4 targeting moiety attached to a delivery vehicle, and one or more agents that inhibit LMW-PTP expression and/or activity operatively associated with the delivery vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions designed for the treatment, management, or prevention of a non-neoplastic hyperproliferative cell or excessive cell accumulation disorders, particularly those involving hyperproliferation of epithelial or endothelial cells. In one embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more EphA2 agonistic agents that bind to EphA2 and increase EphA2 cytoplasmic tail phosphorylation and/or increase EphA2 autophosphorylation in cells which EphA2 has been agonized. In another embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more EphA2 agonistic agents that bind to EphA2 and reduce EphA2 activity (other than autophosphorylation). In another embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise administration of an effective amount of one or more EphA2 agonistic agents that bind to EphA2 and decrease a pathology-causing cell phenotype (e.g.

Abstract: EphA2 T-cell epitope agonists are provided herein. The agonists include peptides corresponding to specific fragments of human EphA2 protein containing one or more T-cell epitopes, and conservative derivatives thereof. The EphA2 T-cell epitope agonists are useful in an assay, such as an ELISPOT assay, that may be used to determine and/or quantify a patient's immune responsiveness to EphA2. The agonists also are useful in methods of modulating a patient's immune reactivity to EphA2, which has substantial utility as a treatment for cancers that overexpress EphA2, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The EphA2 agonists also can be used to vaccinate a patient against EphA2, by in vivo or ex vivo methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions designed for the treatment, management, or prevention of a hypoproliferative cell disorder, especially those disorders relating to the destruction, shedding, or inadequate proliferation of epithelial and/or endothelial cells, particularly interstitial cystitis (IC) and lesions associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more agents that are antagonists of EphA2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions designed for the treatment, management, or prevention of cancer, particularly, metastatic cancer. In one embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more antibodies that bind to EphA4 and agonize EphA4. In another embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more antibodies that bind to EphA4 and inhibit cancer cell colony formation in soft agar or tubular network formation in three-dimensional basement membrane or extracellular matrix preparation. In another embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more antibodies that preferentially binds to an EphA4 epitope that is exposed on cancer cells but not non-cancer cells.

Abstract: Group II-VI thin film transistors, a method of making same and a monolithic device containing a detector array as well as transistors coupled thereto wherein, according to a first embodiment, there is provided a group II-VI insulating substrate, a doped layer of a group II-VI semiconductor material disposed over the substrate, an insulating gate region disposed over the doped layer, a pair of spaced contacts on the doped layer providing source and drain contacts, a gate contact disposed over the insulating gate region, an insulating layer disposed over exposed regions of the substrate, doped layer, insulating gate region and contacts and metallization disposed on the insulating layer and extending through the insulating layer to the contacts. The thickness of the doped layer is less than the maximum depletion region thickness thereof.

Abstract: Group II-VI thin film transistors, a method of making same and a monolithic device containing a detector array as well as transistors coupled thereto wherein, according to a first embodiment, there is provided a group II-VI insulating substrate, a doped layer of a group II-VI semiconductor material disposed over the substrate, an insulating gate region disposed over the doped layer, a pair of spaced contacts on the doped layer providing source and drain contacts, a gate contact disposed over the insulating gate region, an insulating layer disposed over exposed regions of the substrate, doped layer, insulating gate region and contacts and metallization disposed on the insulating layer and extending through the insulating layer to the contacts. The thickness of the doped layer is less than the maximum depletion region thickness thereof.

Abstract: Photocapacitive detectors with varying bandgap Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te (604) for two color detection and one color detection with increased potential well capacity. Preferred embodiments include a transparent insulated gate (608) on a top layer (632) of Hg.sub.0.8 Cd.sub.0.2 Te over a lower layer (634) of Hg.sub.0.83 Cd.sub.0.27 Te for detection of two infrared colors by varying gate potential to either confine the potential well to the top layer or to extend the potential well to both layers. Also, methods of compositionally grading the Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te by fluid transport plus diffusion.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to oxide-semiconductor interfaces which are grown with varying amounts of fixed positive (or negative) charge. The invention utilizes these different values to form a channel stop for a charge transfer device. For HgCdTe two different oxides are used, namely, those produced by wet anodization (having large values of fixed positive charge) and plasma oxidation (having low values of fixed charge). The voltage range of operation of the active gate is determined by the difference in fixed positive charge for these regions and the insulator thicknesses.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a stepped insulator process for HgCdTe infared focal plane devices, the insulator being a combination of two insulator materials, ZnS and SiO, which differ in dielectric constant and chemical reactivity. The structure is patterned on HgCdTe which has an accumulated surface region. The resulting configuration significantly reduces pin hole short circuits introduced during via etching and improves the operating range (channel stopping action) for a given step height over that of ZnS alone.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for reducing impurity concentration in mercury cadmium telluride alloys wherein impurities are attracted to a region saturated with second phase tellurium during annealing in a saturated mercury atmosphere where the second phase tellurium and the impurities attracted thereto can be removed by polishing, etching, grinding, or the like.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for making extrinsically doped HgCdTe alloys containing Cu, Ag, or Au or other dopant impurity whereby the excess tellurium in the core is annihilated (stoichiometrically compensated by excess in-diffusing Hg) and the dopant impurities are then permitted to randomly move through the slab to provide for homogeneity thereof. A post-annealing step of much greater than normal temperature-time length than was provided in the prior art is used. A standard post-annealing step in a saturated mercury vapor atomosphere leaves second phase tellurium (and gettered impurities) at the center of the slab, and longer term post-annealing negates this situation by annihilating the second phase tellurium in the slab and thus permitting the impurities to randomly travel by solid state diffusion throughout the slab to ultimately be distributed therein in a homogeneous manner.

Abstract: A monolithic charge-coupled infrared imaging device (CCIRID) is fabricated on N-type HgCdTe. A native oxide layer on the semiconductor is used, in combination with ZnS to provide first level insulation. An opaque field plate over first level insulation is provided for signal channel definition. Second level insulation (ZnS) is substantially thicker than the first level, and is provided with a stepped or sloped geometry under the first level gates. Input and output diodes are provided with MIS guard rings to increase breakdown voltages.