Idogen reports important breakthrough - positive results from proof-of-concept study in human cells
Idogen AB (”Idogen”) reports that the company has made a breakthrough in the development of the company’s tolerogenic vaccine. Idogen has now in a proof-of-concept study shown that the company’s technology successfully has been confirmed in human cells. These positive results represent an important step in the development of a tolerogenic vaccine and an important step closer to treating patients with severe hemophilia A affected by factor VIII antibodies.
Idogen has with this proof-of-concept study successfully managed to re-program human white blood cells to tolerogenic dendritic cells. The dendritic cells have in studies in vitro after zebularine-treatment successfully inhibited the activation of other immune cells. The experiments have been repeated with immune cells from several individuals. The results are an important milestone for the continued development of a tolerogenic vaccine.
Idogen’s development strategy is initially to treat patients with hemophilia A affected by neutralizing antibodies against their vital coagulation factor VIII. The company has previously in an animal model of hemophilia A shown that the technology provides a reduction in the occurrence of inhibitory factor VIII antibodies and that the treatment is long-lasting. Idogen has subsequently worked with transferring the technology to human cells.
”Our success in producing human tolerogenic dendritic cells is of major importance to us. We have previously demonstrated proof-of-concept in an animal model – now we have taken the next step and shown proof-of-concept in a study with human cells in vitro. This progress is an important milestone and means that the company has taken a major step towards a treatment method for patients with severe hemophilia A affected by neutralizing antibodies against their vital factor VIII”, CEO Lars Hedbys comments.
For additional information, please contact:
Lars Hedbys, CEO
Tel: +46 - 46 - 275 63 30
E-mail: lars.hedbys@idogen.com
Idogen develops tolerogenic vaccines which reprogrammes the immune system. The term "tolerogenic" refers to that the immune system will tolerate the selected molecule after treatment. It represents a new treatment method for autoimmune diseases, organ rejection after transplantation and patients without treatment after developing antibodies against standard treatment. The first indication for the therapy will be patients with the bleeding disorder hemophilia A who have developed an immunological reaction against their necessary factor VIII replacement.
The treatment method comprise that cells from the patient's blood are reprogrammed to dendritic cells with capacity to specifically counteract the adverse immune reaction. The company's platform technology has the potential to develop long-acting treatment of anti-drug antibodies as well as autoimmune diseases that currently can not be cured. In addition, Idogen has the potential to change the transplantation market by reducing the need for immunosuppressive therapy after transplantation. Idogen was founded in 2008 based on a fundamental immunological discovery at Lund University. For more information, visit www.idogen.com