Apoptotic DNA Immunotherapy™
The discovery of immunosuppressive (anti-rejection and monoclonal) drugs over 40 years ago has made possible life-saving organ transplantation procedures and blocking of unwanted immune responses in autoimmune diseases. However, immune suppression leads to significant undesirable side effects, such as increased susceptibility to life-threatening infections and cancers, because it indiscriminately and broadly suppresses immune function throughout the body. While the use of these drugs has been justifiable because they prevent or delay organ rejection, their use for treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergies may not be acceptable because of the above-mentioned side effects. Furthermore, transplanted organs often ultimately fail despite the use of immune suppression, and about 40% of transplanted organs survive no more than 5 years.
New, focused therapeutic approaches are needed that modulate only the small portion of immune cells that are involved in rejection of the transplanted organ, as this approach can be safer for patients than indiscriminate immune suppression. Such approaches are referred to as immune tolerance, and when therapeutically induced, may be safer for patients and also potentially allow long-term survival of transplanted tissues and organs.
We are commercializing a nucleic acid-based technology called Apoptotic DNA Immunotherapy (ADI™) which utilizes a novel approach that mimics the way our bodies naturally induce tolerance to our own tissues (therapeutically induced immune tolerance). ADI is a technology platform, which we believe can be engineered to address a wide variety of indications.
We are developing ADI products for organ transplantation including skin grafting, autoimmune diseases, and allergies, with the initial focus on skin allografts and psoriasis.
For more information visit adimune.com
