The mysterious onset of type 1 diabetes may have to do with what’s in your genes. Studies of twins show that if one twin has type 1 diabetes, the other has a 50 to 80 percent likelihood to also get the disease.
In the past 5 years, new technology that screens the whole genetic code allowed researchers to uncover at least 50 diabetes-associated genes. Interestingly, many of those genes also relate to other autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis or celiac disease.
Stephan Kissler, Ph.D., Assistant Investigator in the Section on Immunobiology at Joslin Diabetes Center, studies those genes associated with multiple diseases using some of the newest lab techniques available. Video Rating: / 5
Immune diseases like type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis can lead to severe complications in patients, yet there are currently very limited treatment options which mitigate their impact at best and no opportunity for a cure. However, the discovery of a new technology platform at Belgium’s KU Leuven Hospital offers new hope for these patients.
Imotopes™ are modified HLA class II epitopes which block the immune processes that cause immune-mediated diseases, providing a potentially curative approach to severe chronic diseases. Imotopes™ induce cytolytic T cells that specifically eliminate antigen-presenting cells without affecting other functions of the immune system, intervening and stopping an autoimmune response at a time when attacked tissues can still regenerate.
Imotopes™ is the product of Imcyse, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Lieges, Belgium, pioneering the development of this new class of active, specific immunotherapies. This technology is most advanced in the area of Type 1 Diabetes, with the development of IMCY-0098.
IMCY-0098 is a novel insulin-based Imotope™. In August 2019, Imcyse presented promising results from its first in human trial, a phase Ib safety study with IMCY-0098 in patients with early type 1 diabetes (T1D): IMCY-0098 is safe, well-tolerated, does not accelerate disease and is associated with immune modulation.
Imcyse is working with top clinicians at KU Leuven, as well as being part of INNODIA, a global partnership to fight Type 1 Diabetes. Through INNODIA’s Patient Advisory Committee Imcyse will ensure they deliver the treatment that Type 1 Diabetes patients want and need.
As clinical trials progress and basic research continues, the Imotope™ technology platform has the potential to address a wide range of indications in the vast field of immunology from diabetes to even less treatable conditions – with the potential to create a paradigm shift in the way these conditions are treated. Video Rating: / 5
The DRI’s Dr. Allison Bayer explains adoptive Treg cell therapy and her team’s efforts to help boost these key immune cells and rebalance the immune system. Her current findings have shown that Tregs may prevent transplant rejection and well as reverse autoimmunity.
Dr. Bayer’s research focuses on understanding the basic immunobiology of regulatory T cells and applying that knowledge for future clinical applications. She hopes that her work will lead to the design of novel therapies for a non-toxic approach for the treatment of type 1 diabetes patients. Video Rating: / 5
In this episode, Alice Long and colleagues demonstrate a link between disease outcome in type 1 diabetes and the phenotype and function of autoreactive CD8+ T cells.
