53 results about "Paracaspase" patented technology

A method for treating a subject afflicted with an autoimmune disease with a pharmaceutical composition comprising glatiramer acetate and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, comprising the steps of administering a therapeutic amount of the pharmaceutical composition to the subject, determining whether the subject is a glatiramer acetate responder or a glatiramer acetate hypo- / non-responder by measuring the value of a biomarker selected from the group consisting of IL-10 concentration, IL-17 concentration, IL-18 concentration, TNF-α concentration, BDNF concentration, caspase-1 concentration, IL-10 / IL-18 ratio and IL-10 / IL-17 ratio in the blood of the subject, and comparing the measured value to a reference value for the biomarker to identify the subject as a glatiramer acetate responder or a glatiramer acetate hypo- / non-responder, and continuing the administration if the subject is identified as a glatiramer acetate responder, or modifying treatment of the subject if the subject is identified as a glatiramer acetate hypo- / non-responder.

This invention provides a non-radioactive assay to monitor and quantify the target-cell killing activities mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). This assay is predicated on the discovery that apoptosis pathway activation and, in particular, granzyme B activity, provides a measure of cytotoxic effector cell activity. In one embodiment, measurement of CTL-induced granzyme B activation in target cells is achieved through detection of the specific cleavage of fluorogenic granzyme B substrates. This assay reliably detects antigen-specific CTL killing of target cells, and provides a more sensitive, more informative and safer alternative to the standard 51Cr-release assay most often used to quantify CTL responses. The assay can be used to study CTL-mediated killing of primary host target cells of different cell lineages, and enables the study of antigen-specific cellular immune responses in real time at the single-cell level. As such, the assay can provide a valuable tool for studies of infectious disease pathogenesis and development of new vaccines and immunotherapies.

A gene encoding a production amount-potentiating factor is introduced into an animal cell to transform the cell. Alternatively, a protein production gene and the gene encoding the production amount-potentiating factor are introduced into the animal cell to transform the cell. Herein, as the production amount potentiating factor, there is used a factor having caspase activity inhibiting activity and / or protein biosynthesis activity potentiating action, for example, baculovirus P35. Further, the animal cell is cultured by a culturing method under a condition that apoptosis is not induced, so that a protein is mass-produced.

The invention relates to the use of at least one caspase inhibitor, in particular a caspase-3 inhibitor, for preparing a pharmaceutical composition for the prophylaxis or therapy of a viral infection, in particular an infection with an RNA negative-strand virus, preferably an influenza infection, and to a test system for identifying suitable active substances.

This invention provides novel caspase inhibitors of formula I:wherein R1 is hydrogen, CHN2, R, or —CH2Y; R is an aliphatic group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, a heterocyclyl group, or a heterocyclylalkyl group; Y is an electronegative leaving group; R2 is CO2H, CH2CO2H, or esters, amides or isosteres thereof; X2—X1 is N(R3)—C(R3), C(R3)2—C(R3), C(R3)2—N, N═C, C(R3)═C, C(═O)—N, or C(═O)—C(R3); each R3 is independently selected from hydrogen or C1-6 aliphatic; Ring C is a fused aryl ring; n is 0, 1 or 2; and each methylene carbon in Ring A is optionally and independently substituted by ═O, or one or more halogen, C1-4 alkyl, or C1-4 alkoxy. The compounds are useful for treating caspase-mediated diseases.