BITT-101: a new CD40 blocker for Sjögren’s syndrome
Official title: Advancing BITT-101 a novel dominant CD40 antagonist for use in treatment of Sjogren Syndrome.
Funded at Boston Immune Technologies and Therapeutics, INC. · NIH-11285445 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new therapy called BITT-101 aims to block a key immune signal to help people with Sjögren’s syndrome who currently have limited treatment options.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Immune Technologies and Therapeutics, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winchester, United States) |
| Project start | August 21, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $990,243 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AI179385-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285445 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome who are candidates for immune-targeted therapies may be eligible in future studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not responding to this pathway or with contraindications to immune-modulating therapies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports developing BITT-101, a dominant antagonist of CD40, to inhibit a B-cell activating pathway implicated in Sjögren’s syndrome. The project will work to show BITT-101 can stay active and block the CD40-CD40L interaction even when natural signals are present, focusing on safety and initial efficacy signals. By targeting the immune cells involved in Sjögren’s, the research hopes to reduce gland damage, pain, and fatigue that plague patients. The work includes preclinical validation and will set the stage for potential future human studies in this patient community.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, BITT-101 could become a new immunomodulatory treatment that reduces symptoms and slows gland injury in Sjögren’s syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: Prior CD40-targeting approaches faced safety or efficacy hurdles, making this a careful, potentially promising new strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Immune Technologies and Therapeutics, INC.
Winchester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Olivier, Kenneth — Boston Immune Technologies and Therapeutics, INC.
- Study coordinator: Olivier, Kenneth
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.