The present invention provides minigenes suitable as a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine against conditions such as cancer, infectious diseases or autoimmune diseases, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the minigene. The minigenes of the present invention comprise (a) a human tissue plasminogen signal peptide； (b) at least one T-cell epitope； and (c) an E. coli heat labile enterotoxin B subunit； wherein the at least one T-cell epitope is linked to the rest of the minigene, and to any other epitopes, by furin sensitive linkers. In some embodiments of the invention, the minigene comprises T-cell epitopes from one or more of CEA, her-2/neu and hTERT. Also provided herein are immunogenic peptide epitopes of CEA, her-2/neu and hTERT, as well as immunogenic peptide analogs, and pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising one or more of said peptides and analogs for prophylaxis and/or treatment of cancer or other disorder. Methods of inducing an immune response in a patient, in addition to methods of treatment using the minigenes, immunogenic peptides, and peptide analogs disclosed herein are also provided.
