Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of lipid nanoparticles (LNP); more specifically comprising an ionisable lipid, a phospholipid, a sterol, a PEG lipid and one or more nucleic acids. The LNP's of the present invention are characterized in having a minimal average diameter of about 140 nm, thereby inducing a more potent immune response. The present invention provides use of the LNPs for immunogenic delivery of nucleic acid molecules, specifically mRNA; thereby making them highly suitable for use in vaccines, such as for the treatment of cancer or infectious diseases. Finally, methods are provided for preparing such LNP's.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of lipid nanoparticles (LPN); more specifically comprising an ionisable lipid, a phospholipid, a sterol, a PEG lipid and one or more nucleic acids. The LNP's of the present invention are characterized in having a minimal average diameter of about 140 nm, thereby inducing a more potent immune response. The present invention provides use of the LNPs for immunogenic delivery of nucleic acid molecules, specifically mRNA; thereby making them highly suitable for use in vaccines, such as for the treatment of cancer or infectious diseases. Finally, methods are provided for preparing such LNP's.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of mRNA formulations, and in particular provides a combination of one or more mRNA molecules encoding the functional immunostimulatory proteins CD40L, CD70 and caTLR4; and one or more mRNA molecules encoding an antigen. The combinations of the present invention are in particular characterized in that the mRNA molecules comprise a 5? CAP-1 structure and may further contain one or more modified nucleosides, such as pseudouridines. The present invention also provides compositions comprising said combinations and uses thereof, in particular in vaccination, and treatment of cell proliferative disorders.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of lipid nanoparticles more specifically comprising an ionisable lipid, a phospholipid, a sterol, a PEG lipid and one or more nucleic acids. The LNP's of the present invention are characterized in having a minimal average diameter of about 140 nm, thereby inducing a more potent immune response. The present invention provides use of the LNPs for immunogenic delivery of nucleic acid molecules, specifically mRNA; thereby making them highly suitable for use in vaccines, such as for the treatment of cancer or infectious diseases. Finally, methods are provided for preparing such LNP's.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts. The invention thus provides a method, comprising contacting a compound with a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No: 194-309; and measuring a compound-polypeptide property related to the differentiation of said cells. The invention further relates to a bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical composition, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the in vitro production of bone tissue.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts, including bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts, including bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing anabolic stimulation of chondrocytes, including cartilage formation enhancing pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean cartilage thickness in a subject.

Abstract: The application discloses methods for identifying and using compounds that inhibit extra-cellular matrix (ECM) degradation and inflammation, using a polypeptide sequence including SEQ ID NO: 17-127 (hereinafter “TARGETS”) and fragments thereof, expression inhibitory agents such as antisense polynucleotide, a ribozyme, and a small interfering RNA (siRNA), comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to, or engineered from, a naturally occurring polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 17-127, useful in pharmaceutical compositions comprising said agent, for the treatment, or prevention, of chronic joint degenerative and/or inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for promoting osteogenesis by contacting osteoblast progenitor cells with an LXR agonist. Said method is useful for the treatment or prevention of an imbalance in bone homeostasis in a subject using bone homeostasis-promoting compositions comprising an effective osteogenic stimulating amount of an LXR agonist in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. A further aspect is a method to produce bone tissue in vitro by contacting an LXR agonist with a population of osteoblast progenitor cells on a substrate, for a time sufficient to stimulate the generation of a matrix of bone tissue.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inhibiting extra-cellular matrix degradation, including joint degenerative inhibiting and/or anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving extra-cellular matrix degradation in a subject.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for identifying osteogenic promoting compounds by contacting test compounds with a target gene polypeptide or fragment thereof, which target gene is identified as involved in the osteogenesis process, and measuring a compound-polypeptide osteogenesis property. Also disclosed are methods of promoting osteogenesis by contacting progenitor cells with an effective osteogenic stimulating amount of an agonist of a target gene or an expressible nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO. 1-18, and may be used for the treatment or prevention of an imbalance in bone homeostasis. A further aspect is a method to produce bone tissue in vitro, by contacting a target gene agonist or an expressible nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO. 1-18 with a vertebrate cell population including osteoblast progenitor cells on a substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of molecular genetics and medicine. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of functional genomics, i.e., to a method for the identification of genes that function in regulating bone homeostasis, such as the induction of osteogenesis. In particular, the present invention relates to polynucleotides and the encoded polypeptides that are identified in a high-throughput screen designed to detect modulation of bone alkaline phosphatase activity. Moreover, the present invention relates to vectors, host cells, antibodies and diagnostic methods for detecting diseases involving the discovered polynucleotides, and therapeutic methods for treating such diseases. The invention further relates to methods and means for drug compound screens designed to develop new therapeutic strategies.

Abstract: A compound having a polysaccharide binding domain such as contained by a cellulose and essentially lacking in polysaccharidase activity is purified from other ingredients in a mixture using an affinity partition system. A mixture containing the compound is contacted with a system containing as a first phase an aqueous solution of oligosaccharide polymer such as cellulose and as a second phase a solution of a polymer such as a poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(propylene glycol) copolymer. The compound petitions into the first phase and binds to the oligosaccharide polymer, preferably with a Ka of 103 to 107, to form a complex. The complex is collected, and the compound is dissociated from the oligosaccharide polymer. The compound may be formed of a non-peptide chemical moiety or a peptide moiety linked to a polypeptide having the polysaccharide binding domain.

Abstract: A two-phase partition system is provided for affinity separation of a composition containing a polysaccharide binding peptide from a mixture such as a fermentation broth. The peptide may be from an enzyme and lacking in polysaccharidase activity such as the binding domain of cellulase that binds to cellulose. The system contains a phase-forming oligosaccharide polymer such as a cellulose derivative to which the peptide binds with a Ka of 10.sup.3 M to 10.sup.7 M, and a phase inducing agent such as a polyethylene glycol polymer, or a salt present at sufficiently high concentration to induce phase separation. If the oligosaccharide polymer is thermoseparating, phase separation can be induced by heating. Using the system involves contacting a composition containing the peptide such as a fusion protein with the system, partitioning the composition into a phase containing the oligosaccharide polymer by binding to the polymer and recovering the polymer containing the bound composition.