Advancements in immune-mediated disease therapies: insights from DOCTIS project partner Pere Santamaria
In alignment with the objectives of the DOCTIS project, Dr. Pere Santamaria (IDIBAPs), a partner in the initiative, has made significant strides in the development of a potential therapy for autoimmune disorders. Driven by the project’s focus on improving treatment efficacy in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), Santamaria’s work has introduced a novel approach using iron oxide nanoparticles, termed navacims.
Santamaria’s research, spanning over two decades, centers on leveraging navacims to modulate immune responses associated with autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes. The nanoparticles, adorned with major histocompatibility complex molecules, elicit the formation and expansion of immune regulatory cells. When tested in mouse models of various IMIDs, the navacims prompted T cells to transform into regulatory T cells, ultimately suppressing the autoimmune response.
The broader context of immunological research, as outlined in the Nature journal editorial Calming the Storm (link), emphasizes the diverse approaches undertaken by researchers worldwide. These strategies include redirecting immune cells to the liver for targeted therapy, utilizing CAR-T cells to eliminate specific problematic immune cells, and engineering T cells for precise antigen targeting.
The potential of Dr Santamaria’s therapy lies in its ability to act as a master switch, deactivating antigen-presenting cells responsible for perpetuating the immune response in autoimmune disorders. While the strategy is promising, it awaits clinical trials to validate its efficacy in humans. Santamaria’s company, Parvus Therapeutics, plans to initiate trials in people with autoimmune diseases, starting with a focus on liver-related conditions.
Dr. Santamaria’s contribution stands out as a potential therapeutic breakthrough for autoimmune disorders and is highly aligned with the DOCTIS project’s main objective of providing more efficacious treatments for IMID patients than the ones currently available. As the project progresses, Santamaria’s findings may play a pivotal role in shaping new and improved therapies for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
