Allogeneic regulatory T cell therapy

A process called immune tolerance allows our immune system to fend off dangerous foreign substances yet leave our own tissues untouched. When immune tolerance fails, it results in chronic inflammation, leading to many different diseases, including cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. It can also lead to transplant rejection.

T cells, or Tregs, which suppress undesired immune responses, promote tissue healing and help re-establish a balanced immune system. Tregs are rare in circulating blood, but we have shown that an organ called the thymus is an abundant source of easily-isolated and pure Tregs.

We now aim to conduct a clinical trial in humans to determine if thymus Tregs are a safe and effective way to prevent chronic inflammation after bone marrow (immune system) transplantation, when the donor immune system has the potential to attack healthy tissue in the recipient.