1093results about "NGF-receptor/TNF-receptor superfamily" patented technology

The invention provides an isolated and purified nucleic acid sequence encoding a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) directed against B-cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA). The invention also provides host cells, such as T-cells or natural killer (NK) cells, expressing the CAR and methods for destroying multiple myeloma cells.

The present invention is based on the seminal discovery that targeted immunomodulatory antibodies and fusion proteins can counter act or reverse immune tolerance of cancer cells. Cancer cells are able to escape elimination by chemotherapeutic agents or tumor-targeted antibodies via specific immunosuppressive mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment and such ability of cancer cells is recognized as immune tolerance. Such immune suppressive mechanisms include immunosuppressive cytokines (for example, Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and regulatory T cells and / or immunosuppressive myeloid dendritic cells (DCs). By counteracting tumor-induced immune tolerance, the present invention provides effective compositions and methods for cancer treatment, optional in combination with another existing cancer treatment. The present invention provides strategies to counteract tumor-induced immune tolerance and enhance the antitumor efficacy of chemotherapy by activating and leveraging T cell-mediated adaptive antitumor immunity against resistant or disseminated cancer cells.

Novel chimeric proteins are disclosed. The proteins comprise at least two portions. The first portion binds to a first cell and decreases the cell's ability to send a trans signal to a second cell; the second portion sends its own trans signal to the second cell. Methods for making and using these proteins in the treatment of cancer, viral infections, autoimmune and alloimmune diseases are also disclosed, as are pharmaceutical formulations comprising the novel chimeric proteins and genes. Either the proteins themselves or a genetic sequence encoding the protein can be administered. Other methods are also disclosed in which two molecular components result in decrement of a first trans signal from a first cell and the conferring of a second trans signal to a second cell.

Methods of producing a protein in cell culture comprising an anti-senescence compound, such as the antioxidant carnosine, are provided. According to teachings of the present invention, cells grown in a cell culture medium comprising an anti-senescence compound exhibit increased viability and productivity. Furthermore, cell cultures grown in the presence of an anti-senescence compound exhibit decreased levels of high molecular weight aggregates in the cell culture medium.