A protein shuttle to carry protective antibodies into the brains of people with Alzheimer's
CD98hc Brain Shuttles for Delivering Off-the-shelf Neuroprotective Antibodies in Alzheimer's Disease
Using a protein 'shuttle' to help existing antibody medicines get into the brain to help people with Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11472078 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing a CD98hc 'shuttle' that can be attached to ready-made antibody medicines to carry them across the blood-brain barrier into brain tissue. They will optimize how the shuttle is built to maximize how much antibody reaches the brain and how long it stays there. The team will compare delivery in younger versus older animals and in models with Alzheimer's-like disease to see if age or disease changes transport. They will also test whether the shuttleed antibodies reduce Alzheimer's pathology in mouse models compared with older shuttle approaches.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, especially older adults (65+), would be candidates for future clinical trials of this delivery approach.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's or whose symptoms are caused by conditions unrelated to the targeted biology may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow antibody treatments to reach the brain and more effectively slow or prevent Alzheimer's-related damage.
How similar studies have performed: Previous attempts using the transferrin receptor had delivery and safety limitations, while early preclinical data for the CD98hc shuttle are promising but unproven in humans.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tessier, Peter M — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Tessier, Peter M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.