Boehringer Ingelheim International Gmbh

Biontech Rna Pharmaceuticals Gmbh

Universitaet Duisburg-Essen

Universitaetsmedizin Der Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz

Thomas Woelfel

Martina Fatho

Volker Lennerz

Catherine Woelfel

Annette Paschen

Daniela Eberts

Dirk Schadendorf

Hakim Echchannaoui

Renate Konopitzky

Wolfgang Sommergruber

Silke Luebcke

Silke Lübcke

Ulrich Koenig

The present invention relates to novel tumor-associated antigens, which elicit independently from a presentation via MHC a CD8-positive T-cell response. GM-CSF-Receptor alpha chain (CSF2RA) and Tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) were found to be targets of CD8-positive T-cell clones which could detect the proteins on the surface of HLA I negative melanoma cells. Thus, the invention provides proteins, protein fragments and polypeptides of the novel antigens for use in medicine, for example for the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of a tumor disease. Furthermore provided are nucleic acids expressing the antigens of the invention, binding agents specific for the antigens of the invention, such as T-cell receptor chains and isolated T cells which are reactive against the antigens of the invention or which express the T-cell receptors of the invention. The invention further pertains to pharmaceutical compositions, especially vaccine compositions, comprising the antigens, nucleic acids, binding agents or T cells in accordance with the invention, and methods for the generation of T cells, which are specifically reactive to the antigens of the invention in an MHC-independent manner.

MHC-independent tumor-associated antigens

T cell receptors with MHC independent binding to GM-CSF receptor alpha chain

Tumor-associated antigens, immunogenic peptides derived therefrom and DNA molecules coding therefor, and the use thereof in the immunotherapy of cancers.

Tumor-associated antigen (R11)

Growing community of inventors

Mainz, Germany

Thomas Woelfel