Project description
An immunotherapy against coeliac disease
Coeliac disease is a genetic autoimmune disorder caused by intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Currently, the only treatment option for coeliac patients is to follow a lifelong gluten-free diet, which poses a tremendous strain on the entire family. The EU-funded SOMIT project brings forward an immunotherapy as an alternative treatment option for coeliac patients. The treatment aims to reinstall tolerance to gluten by targeting specific immune cells and can be used in children under 5 years of age. Given the high penetrance of coeliac disease, the proposed solution targets a big market for coeliac disease therapeutics.
Objective
Celiac Disease is a debilitating autoimmune disorder that is caused by intolerance to gluten. Although it is the most common genetically-based food intolerance in the world, there are currently no therapeutics available to treat patients. In this project, Allero Therapeutics will collaborate with two leading research institutes (Leiden University Medical Center from the Netherlands and the Veterinary Research Institute from the Czech Republic) to develop a first-in-class therapeutic against Celiac Disease. Specifically, this novel therapeutic consists of an antigen-specific immunotherapy combined with tolerizing agents, which will be delivered to the oromucosa via a proprietary sublingual mouth patch. This project consists of a 6-month multi-disciplinary feasibility study that will:
(1) experimentally demonstrate in vitro and ex vivo Proof of Principle for the novel therapeutic;
(2) research all required (pre)clinical development to build a detailed roadmap for navigating the regulatory landscape;
(3) strengthen and expand the current IP position; and
(4) consolidate all current and future findings into an investor-ready Business Plan.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologyautoimmune diseases
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutrition
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineallergology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologyimmunotherapy
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinegastroenterology
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
9070 GENT
Belgium
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.