The Johns Hopkins University

Other

Elizabeth A Jaffee

Ralph Hruban

Drew M Pardoll

Kam W Leong

Chien-Fu Hung

Tzyy-Choou Wu

Hyam I Levitsky

Rosa V Azhari

Audrey Lazenby

Steven A Rosenberg

Adam Shultz Adler

Suzanne L Topalian

Nina Chu

Jacquelyn Winifred Zimmerman

Darshil T Jhaveri

Robert Anders

Paul K Golumbe

Paul Golumbek

In one aspect, compositions are provided for the early diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and include microRNAs, e.g. miR-21 and inhibitors thereof. The treatment compositions can be useful for early detection, and for intercepting developing premalignant pancreatic lesions and other KRAS-driven premalignancies.

MicroRNA and inhibitors thereof and methods of treatment

Mesothelin can be used as an immunotherapeutic target. It induces a cytolytic T cell response. Portions of mesothelin which induce such responses are identified. Vaccines can be either polynucleotide- or polypeptide-based. Carriers for raising a cytolytic T cell response include bacteria and viruses. A mouse model for testing vaccines and other anti-tumor therapeutics and prophylactics comprises a strongly mesothelin-expressing, transformed peritoneal cell line.

Mesothelin vaccines and model systems

We identified &#x3e;40 proteins that elicited at least a 2-fold increase in antibody response post-pancreatic-cancer vaccination, from each of three patients' sera. The antibody responses detected against these proteins in patients with &#x3e;3 years disease-free survival indicates the anti-tumor potential of targeting these proteins. We found that tissue expression of proteins PSMC5, TFRC and PPP1R12A increases during tumor development from normal to pre-malignant to pancreatic tumor. In addition, these proteins were shown to be pancreatic cancer-associated antigens that are recognized by post-vaccination antibodies in the sera of patients that received the vaccine and have demonstrated a favorable disease free survival.

Diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer

A method of stimulating a systemic immune response to a tumor cell or antigen associated with a pathogen by administering a mixture of a controlled release vehicle containing an immunopotentiating agent and antigen is described.

Controlled release of pharmaceutically active substances for immunotherapy

The invention pertains to a method of treating or protecting against melanoma that comprises (a) obtaining a melanoma cell line that expresses one or more shared immunodominant melanoma antigens, (b) modifying the melanoma cell line to render it capable of producing an increased level of a cytokine relative to the unmodified cell line, and (c) administering the melanoma cell line to a mammalian host that has melanoma or is at risk for developing melanoma. Preferably the melanoma cell line is allogeneic and is not MHC-matched to the host.

Melanoma cell lines expressing shared immunodominant melanoma antigens and methods of using same

A method of stimulating a systemic immune response to a tumor cell or antigen associated with a pathogen by administering a mixture of a controlled release vehicle containing an immunopotentiating agent and antigen is described. The method of the invention provides sustained release of therapeutic compounds to allow a host immune system to ameliorate local as well as metastatic tumors in the host. The immunopotentiating agent is typically a cytokine such as tumor necrosis factor, GM-CSF, interleukin or interferon, for example.

Controlled release of pharmaceutically active substances for

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Lutherville, MD, United States of America

Elizabeth A Jaffee