Yeda Research and Develpment & Co. Ltd

The Medical Research, Infrastructure and Health Services Fund of the Tel Aviv Medical Center

The Weizmann Institute of Science

Lea Eisenbach

Adrian Paz

Matityahu Fridkin

Boaz Tirosh

Esther Tzehoval

Arthur Machlenkin

Cheryl Fitzer-Attas

Lior Carmon

Erez Bar-Haim

Michael Feldman

Irun R Cohen

Michel Revel

Yosi Gozlan

Shimon Slavin

Zvi Ram

Ilan Volovitz

Angel Porgador

The present invention relates to methods and systems for increasing the affinity of a T cell receptor (TCR) to its ligand by subjecting the TCR gene to somatic hypermutation. The present invention further relates to use of affinity maturated TCRs to create T cells reactive against a selected antigen.

Affinity maturated T cell receptors and use thereof

A method of treating cancer in an immune-privileged site of a subject in need thereof is provided. The method comprises systemically administering to an area outside the immune-privileged site of the subject, a therapeutically effective amount of naive, viable cells of a tumor of the subject, the tumor being in the immune-privileged site so as to generate an immune response in the subject, thereby treating the cancer in the immune-privileged site of the subject.

Methods of treating tumors in immune-privileged sites

A method of inhibiting growth of, reducing or eliminating a cell population of a subject in need thereof is disclosed. The method comprises (a) thermally, mechanically and/or chemically damaging antigen-bearing cells which comprise at least one antigen characterizing cells of the cell population, with the proviso that the chemically damaging of the antigen-bearing cells is not predominantly effected using one or more antineoplastic agents, thereby generating immunogenic cells; and (b) introducing in the subject a cell aggregate which comprises the immunogenic cells and added antigen-presenting cells, thereby inducing an immune response for inhibiting growth of, reducing or eliminating the cell population of the subject.

Methods and immunogenic cell preparations for treating antigen-associated diseases

The present invention relates to tumor associated antigen (TAA) peptides and to use of same, of polynucleotides encoding same and of cells presenting same as anti-tumor vaccines. More particularly, the present invention relates to tumor associated antigen peptides derived from Uroplakin Ia, Ib, II and III, Prostate specific antigen (PSA), Prostate acid phosphatase (PAP) and Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), BA-46 (Lactadherin), Mucin (MUC-1), and Teratocarcinoma-derived growth factor (CRIPTO-1) and the use of same as anti-tumor vaccines to prevent or cure bladder, prostate, breast or other cancers, carcinomas in particular. Most particularly, the present invention relates to tumor associated antigen peptides which are presentable to the immune system by HLA-A2 molecules.

Tumor associated antigen peptides and use of same as anti-tumor vaccines

The invention relates to colon and prostate tumor associated antigen peptides obtainable from prostate specific G protein-coupled receptor (PSGR), six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate (STEAP) and proteins encoded by genes found overexpressed in colon carcinoma cells, such as human 1-8D interferon induced transmembrane protein 2. The invention further relates to a polynucleotide encoding the tumor associated antigen peptides and to pharmaceutical compositions, which are preferably anti-tumor vaccine compositions, containing a tumor associated antigen, at least one tumor associated antigen peptide thereof, or encoding polynucleotide thereof as an active ingredient. The pharmaceutical compositions can be administered to a patient in need thereof to treat or inhibit the development of colon or prostate cancer.

Tumor associated antigen, peptides thereof, and use of same as anti-tumor vaccines

An anti-tumor pharmaceutical composition includes cells into which a gene encoding human IL-6 has been inserted. A method of treatment of a patient suffering from cancer to prevent and/or inhibit the development of metastases by administering to the patient the anti-tumor pharmaceutical composition including the above mentioned cells.

Antitumor pharmaceutical composition comprising IL-6 transfected cells

The present invention relates to anti-tumor vaccines comprising at least one type of tumor cell into each of which at least two genes encoding MHC proteins of different haplotypes have been inserted, or naturally expressed, said genes being expressed in said tumor cells and wherein at least one of said MHC proteins has the same haplotype as a haplotype of the individual to be vaccinated. The invention furthermore relates to a method of treating a patient suffering from a tumorous disease comprising administering a vaccine of the invention and to the use of a vaccine of the invention for the preparation of an anti-tumor vaccine.

Growing community of inventors

Rehovot, Israel

Lea Eisenbach