Nose-spray treatment to retrain the immune system in autoimmune heart disease
Tolerance-programming biomaterial-based Intranasal ASIT for the treatment of autoimmunity
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · NIH-11158721
A nose-delivered therapy designed to teach the immune system to stop attacking the heart in autoimmune myocarditis patients.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11158721 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers are creating a nose-spray made from self-proteins attached to a polymer that helps them stick in the nose and reach immune cells. The spray also carries small tolerance-promoting drugs so those immune cells learn to tolerate the body's own heart proteins. The team will make this biomaterial, test whether it turns on regulatory immune cells and stops autoimmune damage, and use it in lab models of autoimmune myocarditis. If the lab tests go well, the approach could be adapted for other autoimmune diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with autoimmune myocarditis or those at high risk for this condition would be the likely candidates for future trials of this therapy.
Not a fit: Patients whose autoimmune problems involve different autoantigens or who have active infections or severely weakened immune systems may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could offer a targeted, non-systemic way to reduce autoimmune attacks on the heart while avoiding broad immunosuppression.
How similar studies have performed: Mucosal (nasal) antigen-specific tolerance has shown promise in animal studies, but this specific biomaterial-based intranasal delivery combining autoantigens with tolerance drugs is a novel approach not yet tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES
- JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY — BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: WILSON, DAVID SCOTT — JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: WILSON, DAVID SCOTT
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.
Conditions: Allergic Disease, Autoimmune Diseases