The Therapy RED4MS – Re-establishing immune tolerance.
The physiological function of our immune system is to protect us from infectious agents and tumors. At the same time, it must not attack our body’s own cells and tissues, including cells that die from aging. Tolerance mechanisms ensure that dying cells do not lead to immune activation.
MS is a disease of the brain and spinal cord that affects more than 2.5 million people globally. Malfunctioning immune cells target specific self-antigens of the brain and spinal cord, which can lead to chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration.
Numerous approved therapies are available to treat MS. These therapies are either immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive and do not specifically target the autoimmune response in MS. They also impair normal protective immune functions, which can result in severe side effects, and most existing therapies need to be given for a long time.
RED4MS is different in that it specifically targets the autoimmune response in MS patients. Every day approximately 100 billion aged red blood cells die in the body and are removed in the liver and spleen in a way that “teaches” immune cells not to mount an immune response against them. RED4MS makes use of this natural process by combining the tolerance signal of dying cells with MS target antigens.
Patient red blood cells are coupled ex vivo with twelve peptides representing the major target antigens in MS. After reinfusion, the coupled blood cells undergo natural cell death in the body and are presented to the immune system in a tolerogenic manner in the liver and spleen. Immune tolerance is restored by correcting the misguided autoimmune response and preventing the body from attacking its own brain and spinal cord tissue. This process does not affect the normal protective immune functions.
The therapeutic approach underlying RED4MS has been examined in animal models for over 40 years. It is highly effective in both preventing and treating autoimmune disease in animals.