Assessment of ion channel targeting KnotBodies in Immunology Assays
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessment of ion channel targeting KnotBodies in Immunology Assays
IRAS ID
332950
Contact name
Aneesh Karatt-Vellat
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Maxion Therapeutics
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes are driven by the protective immune system attacking the body itself. These conditions are often poorly treated with existing therapeutics. Autoimmune diseases are driven by a subset of T cells (part of the body's immune system) which are uniquely dependent on an ion channel called Kv1.3. Blockade of the action of Kv1.3 therefore provides an “Achilles heel” to precisely disable this subset of autoimmunity-driving T cells while leaving the rest of the immune system intact to continue fighting infections. Maxion aims to develop Kv1.3 blocking antibodies and therefore aims to test Kv1.3 antibodies in primary immune cells, aiming to explore if inhibition has "quietened" this subset of T cells. This work will take place at the premises of Maxion Therapeutics, Cambridge, UK, in dedicated Containment Level 2 (CL2) laboratories and is expected to be completed within the next three years. During this time, blood samples from healthy human donors will be used to test the effect and efficacy of the Kv1.3 blocking antibodies developed by Maxion Therapeutics.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
23/WS/0182
Date of REC Opinion
4 Dec 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion