CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ImmusanT, Inc., a clinical-stage company developing Nexvax2®, a therapeutic vaccine being investigated to protect against the effects of gluten in HLA-DQ2.5+ patients with celiac disease, today announced data from a study evaluating cytokine levels following gluten ingestion in celiac disease (CeD) and non-celiac gluten sensitive (NCGS) patients has been accepted as a “late breaker” at United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Week.
Knut E.A. Lundin, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Oslo, will present the data. The presentation will follow two oral presentations the company previously announced.
Details of the “late breaker” presentation:
Date: Tuesday, October 31
Time: 14:36-14:48 CET
Location:
Room A3
Session: Late breaking clinical trials in
gastroenterology
Abstract Number: LB18
Title:
Increase in plasma interleukin(IL)-2, IL-8, and IL-10 from 2 to 6 hours
on oral gluten challenge differentiates between celiac disease (CeD) and
non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) in patients on gluten-free diet
(GFD)
Details of the oral presentations:
Date: Monday, October 30
Time: 14:12-14:24 CET
Location:
Room B2
Session: Celiac disease and wheat-related disorder
Abstract
Number: OP060
Title: Gluten ingestion and intradermal
injection of peptides that activate gluten-specific CD4+ T cells elicit
a cytokine signature dominated by interleukin-2 in celiac disease
Date: Monday, October 30
Time: 16:57-17:09 CET
Location:
Room E2
Session: Gluten-related disorders
Abstract
Number: OP118
Title: Safety and tolerability,
immunological and intestinal effects, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of dose
titration preceding maintenance doses of Nexvax2® in HLA-DQ2.5+ celiac
disease (CeD)
About Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a T cell-mediated
autoimmune gastrointestinal disease triggered by the ingestion of gluten
from wheat, rye and barley predominantly in individuals who carry the
human leukocyte antigen-DQ2.5 (HLA-DQ2.5) immune recognition gene. A
gluten-free diet is the only current management for this disease. The
global prevalence of celiac disease is approximately 1%, but over 80% of
cases go unrecognized. When a person with celiac disease consumes
gluten, the individual’s immune system responds by triggering T cells to
fight the offending proteins, damaging the small intestine and
inhibiting the absorption of important nutrients into the body.
Undiagnosed, celiac disease is a major contributor to poor educational
performance and failure to thrive in children. Untreated disease in
adults is associated with osteoporosis and increased risk of fractures,
anemia, reduced fertility, problems during pregnancy and birth, short
stature, dental enamel hypoplasia, dermatitis, recurrent stomatitis and
cancer. With no available drug therapy, the only option is a strict and
lifelong elimination of gluten from the diet. Compliance is often
challenging, and the majority of people continue to have residual damage
to their small intestine in spite of adherence to a gluten-free diet.
About Nexvax2®
Nexvax2® is the only therapeutic approach for
celiac disease in clinical development today that targets the
fundamental cause of the disease, that is the loss of immune tolerance
to gluten. Nexvax2® is a combination of three proprietary peptides that
is delivered by injection as a therapeutic vaccine and reprograms the
T-cells that respond to gluten antigens in celiac disease patients so
that they stop triggering a pro-inflammatory response. By increasing the
threshold for clinical reactivity to natural exposure to gluten,
Nexvax2® is intended to protect patients with celiac disease against
inadvertent exposure to gluten and ultimately restore immunological and
clinical tolerance to gluten.
About ImmusanT, Inc.
ImmusanT is a privately held
biotechnology company focused on protecting patients with celiac disease
against the effects of gluten. By harnessing new discoveries in
immunology, ImmusanT aims to improve diagnosis and medical management of
celiac disease by protecting against the effects of gluten exposure
while patients maintain a gluten-free diet. The company is developing Nexvax2®,
a therapeutic vaccine for celiac disease, and diagnostic and monitoring
tools to improve celiac disease management. ImmusanT’s targeted
immunotherapy discovery platform can be applied to a variety of
autoimmune diseases. Founded in 2010, ImmusanT is backed by Vatera
Healthcare Partners. More information may be found at www.ImmusanT.com,
or follow ImmusanT
on Twitter.
