Defence Therapeutics Inc.

Polyvalor, Limited Partnership

Simon Beaudoin

Nicolas Godbout

Jeffrey Victor Leyton

The present description relates to a conjugated compound an antibody covalently linked to enhancer moiety composed by a nuclear localization sequence (NLS), covalently linked to a sterol variant, such as cholic acid (ChAc) or a variant thereof. The enhancer moiety as encompassed herein is able to induce endosome escape of the compound-conjugates by direct membrane destabilization or indirectly by ROS and ceramide production which destabilize endosome-lysosome membrane. The conjugated compound can further comprise payload.

Conjugates enhancing total cellular accumulation

Steroid acid-peptide conjugates covalently modified for improved stability and/or biological activity are described herein. Covalent modifications include the formation of multimeric compounds comprising at least two steroid acid-peptide monomers covalently bound to one another that behave as new chemical entities, as well as protecting one or more free thiol groups present in the steroid acid-peptide conjugates to improve their stability and/or biological activity.

Covalently-modified steroid acid-peptides having enhanced stability and/or biological activity

Covalently modified polypeptide antigens having improved immunogenicity and/or stability, as well as compositions, cells, and methods relating thereto, are described herein. Polypeptide antigens are covalently conjugated to a one or more of steroid acid moieties to improve their stability and/or to trigger improved cellular immunity, or improved cellular and humoral immunity, against the antigen upon administration to a subject. The steroid acids include bile acids and bile acid analogs that enhance endocytosis and/or endosomal escape of endosomally trapped cargoes by potentiating enzymatic cleavage of sphingomyelin to ceramide within endosomal membranes. The steroid acid moieties may be pre-conjugated to a peptide, and the steroid acid-peptide moiety subsequently conjugated to the polypeptide antigen. The peptide may comprise one or more domains that impart an additional functionality to the modified polypeptide antigen.

Covalently modified antigens for improved immune response and/or stability

Immunogen enhancers for admixture with an antigen of interest are described herein. The enhancers generally comprise a steroid acid and/or a steroid acid-peptide conjugate in an amount sufficient to improve or modify the adaptive immune response to antigens admixed therewith. In embodiments, the steroid acid may be a bile acid and the peptide may comprise one or more functional domains, such as a nuclear localization signal, which may facilitate antigen-presentation and/or antigen cross-presentation, thereby triggering improved cellular immunity, or improved cellular and humoral immunity, against the antigen.

Steroid acid-based immunogen enhancers

Agents having cytotoxic activity, as well as compositions, uses, and methods relating thereto, are described herein. Certain steroid acid-peptide conjugates or moieties have the ability to induce killing or inhibition of proliferation of mammalian cells, in vitro or in vivo upon administration to a subject. The steroid acid-peptide conjugates include bile acids and bile acid analogs and peptides that may include a nuclear localisation signal or a portion thereof. Also described herein is a method for treating cancer, an autoimmune disease, or any other disease or disorder ameliorated by treatment with an antiproliferative drug in a subject in a subject with the cytotoxic agents described herein.

Steroid acid-peptide based cytotoxic compounds

The present description relates to a conjugated compound comprising cholic acid (ChAc) or a variant thereof, the ChAc conjugated to a non-cell penetrating peptide comprising a nuclear localization sequence (NLS) conjugated to a compound of interest.

There is described a multi-clad optical fiber for propagating an optical signal having at least a single mode. The multi-clad optical fiber generally has a fiber core, an inner cladding surrounding the fiber core, and at least an outer cladding surrounding the inner cladding, the multi-clad optical fiber having at least a taper portion extending along a longitudinal dimension z, the taper portion having a radial dimension progressively decreasing at a normalized slope exceeding an adiabaticity criterion of a conventional single-clad optical fiber propagating at least the single-mode across its single-mode core.

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Sherbrooke, Canada

Simon Beaudoin