NeuroImmunology

OA

Citation: Muls N, Dang HA, Sindic CJM, van Pesch V (2014) Fingolimod Increases CD39-Expressing Regulatory T Cells in Multiple Sclerosis Patients. PLoS ONE 9(11): e113025. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0113025

Abstract

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are lethal brain cancers that are resistant to current therapies. We investigated the cytotoxicity of human allogeneic NK cells against patient-derived GBM in vitro and in vivo, as well as mechanisms mediating their efficacy. We demonstrate that KIR2DS2 immunogenotype NK cells were more potent killers, notwithstanding the absence of inhibitory killer Ig-like receptor (KIR)-HLA ligand mismatch....

biOasis’ Transcend Platform is a group of proprietary technologies designed for the transport of therapeutic agents across the blood brain barrier (“BBB”) and into the brain tissue. The delivery of therapeutics across the BBB represents the single greatest challenge in the treatment of over a thousand common and rare diseases of the brain and central nervous system. The development of an effective method to deliver therapeutics across the BBB has been considered for decades to be the “Holy Grail” of neurological medicine.

Transcend is based on the naturally occurring transport protein, melanotransferrin, also called MTf, CD228 and p97. Found at low concentrations in the blood, MTf is able to cross the BBB through a process called Receptor Mediated Transcytosis (“RMT”) where MTf molecules attach to receptors on the cells of the BBB. MTf is then pulled through the cells and into the brain where the MTf molecules can deliver their payload.

With biOasis’ proprietary Transcend carrier, the MTf protein can be attached to therapeutics of varying sizes or types. When infused or injected as a therapeutic, the resulting structure attaches itself to a BBB receptor and is pulled across the BBB where the therapeutic payload is delivered to brain.

biOasis has shown that Transcend can deliver a wide variety of therapeutics to brain, including antibodies, enzymes, siRNA and small molecule drugs, which together are expected to treat neurological diseases in several areas, including brain cancers, neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases.

Through extensive research, the biOasis team identified the peptide portion within MTf that was responsible for crossing the BBB. The peptide, named MTfp, was shown to transport therapeutic agents across the BBB more readily than the original Transcend. biOasis filed patent protection for the peptide and its related forms, which would result in extending the Company’s intellectual property for another 20 years. The peptide was branded “MTfp” and is now the Company’s main focus.

MTfp is less than 2% the size of the original MTf protein, which is advantageous because:

biOasis is actively engaged in the development and commercialization of its proprietary Transcend Platform and a newly discovered peptide derived from MTf for the transport of therapeutic agents across the BBB to the central nervous system (CNS).

GAPVAC was launched in 2013 designed to create, manufacture and develop actively personalized vaccines (APVACs) tailored to the individual characteristics of the patient's tumor and immune system. It is based on combining latest state-of-the-art technologies, including next-generation sequencing (NGS), high-sensitivity mass spectrometry and innovative immunomonitoring approaches to generate an optimal therapy for the individual patient.

The consortium is supported by a €6 million grant from the European Union Framework 7 (EU FP7) program.

Copyright: © 2014 Franco R. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

belated july 2014