Cutivac

SPONSORS WELCOME

Our data from mice studying the physiological tolerance induction mechanisms of so-called steady state migratory dendritic cells of the skin (1-3) encouraged us to translate them into a therapeutic setting. Veterinary medicine offers moderate restrictions for clinical studies by the authorities in conjunction with the chance to treat 'real' patients. Therefore we decided to treat an allergy in horses.

Summer eczema is a type I allergy of horses, mostly of Icelandic horses. Insect bites by Culicoides mites transmit the allergen into the skin and trigger the allergy (see fotos).

We started with clinical studies on horses where a non-invasive transcutaneous allergen application system (patent pending) is tested to tolerize the horse patients against the insect allergens.

This project searches for further sponsoring (!!!) and was funded so far by:

References

1.         Azukizawa, H., A. Dohler, N. Kanazawa, A. Nayak, M. Lipp, B. Malissen, I. Autenrieth, I. Katayama, M. Riemann, F. Weih, F. Berberich-Siebelt, and M. B. Lutz. 2011. Steady state migratory RelB+ langerin+ dermal dendritic cells mediate peripheral induction of antigen-specific CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. Eur. J. Immunol. 41: 1420-1434.

2.         Lutz, M. B. 2012. Therapeutic potential of semi-mature dendritic cells for tolerance induction. Front Immunol 3: 123.

3.         Lutz, M. B., A. Dohler, and H. Azukizawa. 2010. Revisiting the tolerogenicity of epidermal Langerhans cells. Immunol Cell Biol 88: 381-386.