Abstract: Fibronectin Type III (FN3) polypeptide libraries are described, along with their use in identifying fibronectin-type binding peptides having hign binding affinities, e.g., greater than 300 nM, for VEGFR2 or Axl proteins.

Abstract: Walk-through mutagenesis and natural-variant combinatorial fibronectin Type III (FN3) polypeptide libraries are described, along with their method of construction and use. Also disclosed are a number of high binding affinity polypeptides selected by screening the libraries against a variety of selected antigens.

Abstract: A method of producing viral antigens for use in a vaccine or therapeutic composition against infection by a virus, and a composition produced thereby, are disclosed. The method is applicable to viruses having a plurality of subtypes whose protein sequences for at least one viral protein or polyprotein are known. Regions of a selected viral protein that (i) are known or predicted to bind to MHC proteins in host antigen-presenting cells, and (ii) have a moderate amino acid variability within the virus subtypes are systematically varied in amino acid sequence, and tested for enhanced binding to MHC proteins. The composition includes those peptides having the highest binding affinity for MHC proteins.

Abstract: Methods and compositions directed to improved universal antibody libraries that rationally exploit human diversity information contained within reference antibody libraries, such as universal antibody libraries, are disclosed. The disclosed processes involve use of a query CDR sequence to guide incorporation of human antibody diversity present within the reference library into cohort libraries of the invention. Methods for making and screening such cohort libraries for isolating therapeutics suitable for treating disease are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for generating human IgG1 antibodies with enhanced Fc effector function is disclosed. In practicing the method, an IgG1 Fc look-through mutagenesis (LTM) coding library directed at four receptor-contact regions of the Fc CH2 portion of in human IgG1 Fc is expressed in a system in which the mutated Fc fragments are displayed on the surfaces of the expression cells. The fragments are then screened for altered binding affinity to a selected Fc receptor or other Fc-binding protein. The selected mutations may be used, in turn, to guide the selection of multiple substitutions in the construction of a walk-through mutation (WTM) library, for generating additional Fc fragment mutations with desired binding properties. The antibodies so produced have a variety of therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Abstract: Walk-through mutagenesis and natural-variant combinatorial fibronectin Type III (FN3) polypeptide libraries are described, along with their method of construction and use. Also disclosed are a number of high binding affinity polypeptides selected by screening the libraries against a variety of selected antigens.

Abstract: The invention provides a combinatorial influenza vaccine composition for use in providing prophylactic protection in humans against influenza viruses or animals, and a method of producing the vaccine.