Immune Intel
Translating dendritic cell biology into new therapies for cancer and autoimmunity
Cells in our body are born and die every second. This is ignored by our immune system and is part of the natural cycle that ensures that our organs remain healthy. However, when our cells die violently (sometimes called necrosis), for example as a result of infection or tumor growth, specialised cells of the immune system known as dendritic cells sound the alert.
Dendritic cells pick up fragments of the necrotic cancer or infected cell and display them to T cells. The alerted T cells start an attack that is sustained by continued goading by dendritic cells. This helps eliminate the tumor or the infection but can become dysregulated in autoimmunity, when the dendritic cell signals to attack are not switched off.
Adendra’s proprietary technology makes use of recent molecular understanding of how dendritic cells detect necrotic cells and translate that encounter into signals that drive immunity. Adendra Therapeutics will design new immunotherapies to boost control of cancer and infection disease, or to switch off T cell-driven autoimmunity.
Oncology
Adendra will seek to train other immune cells to behave similarly to dendritic cells, to prompt a hypervigilant immune response to cancer.
Autoimmunity
In case of T cell-driven autoimmune disorders, Adendra will seek to develop therapeutics that inhibit dendritic cells from over-reacting to dead cells.
Other diseases
Adendra welcomes approaches from potential research partners interested in collaborating to pursue discoveries in other areas of urgent medical need.
