Isogenis: No Transplantation Rejection

Isogenis is focused upon novel immune modulating therapeutics for the treatment of immune disorders, genetic diseases, and transplant tolerance. A number of animal veto effect exploitation model transplantation systems have been developed for: pancreatic islet, liver, and heart transplantations, and have subsequently validated that their approaches have permanently protected tissues from rejection.

Current foci of product development include:

1. Supressing Hybrid Antibodies - Engineered human antibody fragments coupled with human CD8 proteins to induce the veto effect and prevent transplant rejection.
2. Viral Vectors - Engineered viruses that deliver the CD8 gene to induce transplant tolerance.
3. Genetic Disease Therapeutics - Vectors developed to deliver genes repairing a genetic defect while simultaneously using veto technology to protect the gene product from rejection.

Efforts have now turned to the demonstration of proof-of-principle in large animal models. To aid in this effort a number of collaborations with the University of Minnesota and the University of Pittsburgh have been established.

So what exactly is the veto effect? It is a phenomenon that happens when CD8 protein expressed on the surface of a T cell recognizes another CD8 protein on the target cell. When this CD8 is recognized, the cytotoxic T Lymphocyte begins apoptosis. The immunological response is “vetoed” for this particular cell, but the immune system still functions normally.


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