Immunotherapy using a probiotic-based treatment for rheumatoid arthritis
Official title: A Novel Immunological-Directed Biotherapy for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis
Funded at Rise Therapeutics, LLC · NIH-11385365 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, probiotic-based therapy taken by mouth aims to calm the immune system in people with rheumatoid arthritis to reduce joint inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rise Therapeutics, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rockville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 4, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $967,715 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AG084484-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11385365 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with rheumatoid arthritis who have active disease and are considering alternative or additional therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with RA who respond fully to existing treatments or have contraindications to probiotic-based therapies may not experience benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores an oral probiotic approach using Lactococcus lactis to steer the immune system toward tolerance in rheumatoid arthritis. By focusing on autoantigen-specific regulatory T cells, it aims to reduce harmful inflammation in the joints. The goal is to create a safe, long-lasting benefit that can complement or reduce dependence on current biologic therapies. The work involves preclinical development and early testing to establish safety and potential effectiveness in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could offer a convenient, oral treatment that lowers joint inflammation and potentially reduces reliance on costly biologics.
How similar studies have gone: Previous approaches using immune-directed probiotics show promise in modulating immune responses, but this specific strategy is novel and under investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Rise Therapeutics, LLC
Rockville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fanger, Gary — Rise Therapeutics, LLC
- Study coordinator: Fanger, Gary
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Gut microbes and methotrexate: boosting RA treatment through microbiome targets
Researchers are studying how gut bacteria affect how well methotrexate works for people with rheumatoid arthritis, aiming to make MTX effective for more patients.
-
Hybrid biomaterial system to boost immunotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis
A new, patient-facing immunotherapy approach uses specialized particles to retrain the immune system to calm RA in adults.
-
Role of Stabilin receptors in rheumatoid arthritis
A short study to understand how certain scavenger receptors may influence the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
-
IgG glycosylation and endothelial FcγRIIB: understanding RA-related heart and blood vessel disease
This project looks at how rheumatoid arthritis affects blood vessels and clotting, with the goal of uncovering new ways to prevent heart and stroke risk for people with RA.
-
Risk factors and biomarkers for progression of subclinical RA-related lung disease
This study follows people with rheumatoid arthritis to understand who develops lung disease and what biomarkers predict it.
-
Pregnancy changes in rheumatoid arthritis and new treatment ideas
This research seeks to understand why some women’s rheumatoid arthritis improves during pregnancy and how to predict and mimic that effect to make treatments safer and more effective for pregnant patients.
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.