Transforming the field of immune tolerance with a novel antigen-specific and targeted nanoparticle technology

Treatment of autoimmune diseases has relied on the use of broad immunosuppressant agents that, while delivering symptomatic relief, are not targeted to the underlying molecular mechanism. Therefore, they lack disease-modifying effects. Available therapies have significant long-term side effects, and, because of their untargeted and immunosuppressive nature, they interfere with defense mechanisms necessary to fight pathogens and malignancies. Targeting the loss of tolerance to self- or immunogenic antigens, which is the cause of autoimmune antigen-driven diseases, represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of those diseases.