Autoimmune Disease Treatment Without Immune Suppression

Gastroenterology
Bone/Joint/Connective Tissue
Immunology

Current drug regimes treat autoimmune diseases by suppressing the immune system with immunosuppressant drugs. However, this exposes patients to serious health risks: suppressing the immune system to treat autoimmune diseases leaves patients vulnerable to infections, which can be life-threatening and even cause death. Despite the pharmaceutical industry constantly going back to the trough of drugs that in some way suppress the immune system, we have evidence that a compound already found in the body, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), treats autoimmune diseases without immune suppression.

Project Team

James Patrick Mixon PhD
James Patrick Mixon PhD
Luisa Moretto PhD
Luisa Moretto PhD
Chancievan Thangaratnarajah, PhD
Chancievan Thangaratnarajah, PhD

Institutions

Kherion Technology
Kherion Technology
GB

Project Status

Clinical Stage
Preclinical
Patent Status
Patent not filed

Funding Opportunity

Opportunity type
Funding requested
$5,000,000
Funding allocated
$0

Background

A study has shown that S1P treats psoriasis without suppression of the immune system (DOI: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2013.03.006), while in another study, S1P has demonstrated the ability to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in amounts that do not suppress the immune system (WHO ID: wpr-652060). Keep in mind that the amount is important. For example, clean water is not inherently bad or dangerous to drink, but one must have the right amount of water; too little water causes dehydration (bad) and too much water causes hyperhydration (water intoxication – also bad). The crucial factor is the amount. The amount of S1P given to treat RA and psoriasis does not suppress the immune system.

Project Details

We have concluded all the heavy-lifting with the culmination of a U.S. Patent being granted for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by S1P in amounts that do not suppress the immune system. To take advantage of this U.S. Patent, we need to carry-out pre-clinical trials and IND studies to prove to the FDA that S1P is safe and efficacious to use in the public before moving on to clinical trials. We believe this process shall be fairly straight-forward since S1P is already in the body (just not in the amounts to elicit autoimmune disease treatment – remember the amount is a crucial factor). Also, it is well known that RA and IBD patients share many of the same treatments as seen by RA treatments with DMARDs (Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs) simply being re-classified as DMAIDs (Disease-Modifying Anti-Inflammatory Bowel Disease Drugs) when used in IBD treatment. Since S1P treats RA in amounts that do not suppress the immune system, this provides a clear indication that S1P can treat IBD in amounts that do not suppress the immune system, as well. In our long-term vision, we hope to bring this inexpensive to produce compound to market to treat IBD (and hopefully other autoimmune diseases), as quickly as possible, since inexpensive production costs means costs to the end-user would be considerably less than other treatments. Also, since S1P treats autoimmune diseases without immune suppression, the longevity of those with an autoimmune disease, and their quality of life, would be substantially improved. Our patented compound will directly compete with several best-selling drugs, including the the second most best-selling drug in the world. We expect our compound will also undermine many pipeline drugs being developed by large pharmaceutical companies for autoimmune diseases. We anticipate fierce pushback from the pharma industry and vested interests. This is why we have turned to DeFi to finance our project aims in improving the longevity, and quality of life, of people suffering from autoimmune diseases.

Project Timeline

  • Autoimmune Disease Treatment Without Immune Suppression: A paradigm shift

    Required Funding$5,000,000
    Statusongoing
    Duration12 Months

    Current drug regimes treat autoimmune diseases by suppressing the immune system with immunosuppressant drugs. However, this exposes patients to serious health risks: suppressing the immune system to treat autoimmune diseases leaves patients vulnerable to infections, which can be life-threatening and even cause death. Despite the pharmaceutical industry constantly going back to the trough of drugs that in some way suppress the immune system, we have evidence that a compound already found in the body, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), treats autoimmune diseases without immune suppression.