Beyond the biotech IPO: a brave new world.

After a decade of significant challenges, biotech's long-term sustainability depends on making fundamental changes to its traditional business model.

Early-stage returns?

Contrary to conventional thinking, there are compelling reasons for investors to consider early-stage life science ventures, especially in the context of a maturing biotech business 'ecosystem'.

CD8+ T cell epitope-flanking mutations disrupt proteasomal processing of HIV-1 Nef.

CTL play a critical role in the control of HIV and SIV. However, intrinsic genetic instability enables these immunodeficiency viruses to evade detection by CTL through mutation of targeted antigenic sites. These mutations can impair binding of viral epitopes to the presenting MHC class I molecule or disrupt TCR-mediated recognition.

Differential processing of HLA A2-restricted HIV type 1 cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a key role in the control of persistent viral infections. Differences in the quality of this cellular immune response influence the long-term outcome of such infections, but the factors that determine which virus-derived peptide epitopes are targeted by CTLs remain poorly understood. Here, we examine the antigen-processing requirements of three human leukocyte antigen (HLA) A*0201-restricted HIV-1 CTL epitopes.