The research group of Prof. Bart Roep (Leids University Medical Center) and Prof. Dr. Karsten Kretscher (Technische Universität Dresden) will collaborate with immunology company DC4U to develop an innovative treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes. They have received a Eurostars grant for this. received 1.7 million euros. This is reported by the LUMC.
Type 1 diabetes is a serious autoimmune disease that develops when cells that make insulin (beta cells) are attacked by the immune system. Insulin is a hormone that is essential for bringing sugar into the cells and fueling our bodies.
Paradoxically, the new groundbreaking approach uses sugars. The aim of the treatment to be developed is to ‘train’ immune cells with sugars, which can influence the immune system’s response to tolerate proinsulin. The research group of LUMC researchers Roep and Prof. Dr. Jaap Jan Zwaginga has already shown in previous clinical studies that this approach works with the application of vitamin D3. However, the procedure examined at the time is complex and expensive.
Glyco-immunologie
That is why we have partnered with DC4U, an immunology company that develops innovative treatments for autoimmune diseases and allergies. DC4U’s research into glycoimmunology technology may offer a ready-to-use alternative to the procedure investigated by the LUMC.
Glyco-immunology is the field where sugar and protein meet and in which Prof. Yvette van Kooyk of DC4U conducts groundbreaking research. Thanks to the application of dendritic cells (part of the immune system), it can elicit a specific, powerful and long-lasting immune response without side effects. Together with the expertise and knowledge of the LUMC, this unique combination can accelerate the development of a potential drug for Type 1 Diabetes.
By: National Care Guide