Biontech Ag

Johannes Gutenberg-universität Mainz

Universitätsmedizin Der Johannes Gutenberg-universitat Mainz

Biontech Protein Therapeutics Gmbh

Tron—translationale Onkologie an Der Univresitätsmedizin Der Johannes Gutenberg-universität Mainz Gemeinnützige Gmbh

Universitätsmedizin Der Johannes Gutenberg-universität

Tron—translationale Onkologie an Der Universitátsmedizin Der Johannes Gutenberg—universität Mainz Gemeinnützige Gmbh

Jens Schumacher

Ugur Sahin

Ozlem Tureci

Michael Koslowski

Özlem Türeci

Thomas Michael Hiller

Thorsten Klamp

Holger Hoff

Torsten Seppmann

The present invention relates to tumor immunotherapy, in particular to tumor vaccination, using chimeric proteins comprising all or a portion of a hepatitis B virus core antigen protein and an amino acid sequence comprising an epitope derived from the extracellular portion of a tumor-associated antigen. In particular, the present invention provides virus-like particles comprising said chimeric proteins, which are useful for eliciting a humoral immune response in a subject against the tumor-associated antigen, in particular against cells carrying said tumor-associated antigen on their surface, wherein the tumor-associated antigen is a self-protein in said subject.

Tumor vaccination involving a humoral immune response against self-proteins

The present invention provides recombinant proteins comprising the amino acid sequence of an intracellular segment of CD40 and an amino acid sequence mediating the association of the recombinant protein with the constant region of an immunoglobulin heavy chain. The recombinant proteins according to the present invention are&#x2014;useful for inducing clonal expansion of a B cell having a predetermined antigen-specificity without the need for T cell or CD40L mediated co-stimulation. Thus, the present invention provides tools for clonal expansion of B cells specific for an antigen of interest and the production of B cells secreting antibodies specific for an antigen of interest. The recombinant proteins of the present invention may also be used for generating fully human monoclonal antibodies with a predetermined antigen-specificity from the B cell repertoire of a human subject.

Polynucleotides encoding an intracellular segment of CD40 and a constant region of an immunoglobulin heavy chain

The present invention provides recombinant proteins comprising the amino acid sequence of an intracellular segment of CD40 and an amino acid sequence mediating the association of the recombinant protein with the constant region of an immunoglobulin heavy chain. The recombinant proteins according to the present invention are useful for inducing clonal expansion of a B cell having a predetermined antigen-specificity without the need for T cell or CD40L mediated co-stimulation. Thus, the present invention provides tools for clonal expansion of B cells specific for an antigen of interest and the production of B cells secreting antibodies specific for an antigen of interest. The recombinant proteins of the present invention may also be used for generating fully human monoclonal antibodies with a predetermined antigen-specificity from the B cell repertoire of a human subject.

Antigen-specific clonal expansion of B cells

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Heidelberg, Germany

Jens Schumacher