At Topas Therapeutics, we harness the tolerogenic power of the liver with our Topas Particle Conjugate (TPC) platform to address the underlying cause of autoimmune and immune-driven diseases
What is Topas
Tolerance-Inducing
Platform?
The Topas tolerance-inducing platform is enabled by Topas Particle Conjugates (TPCs). TPCs are nanoparticles containing a biocompatible polymer carrying autoimmune disease-specific antigenic peptides. They are tailored to deliver antigens specifically to liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), a type of antigen-presenting cell highly potent at inducing T cell tolerance. The ability to almost exclusively target LSECs is a unique and pivotal aspect of the Topas approach. Scalable, precise, and versatile, the TPC technology is adjustable to a broad spectrum of disease-relevant antigens.
How the Topas Tolerance-Inducing Platform Works
Upon administration, TPCs rapidly reach the liver and are internalized by LSECs. Following uptake, the antigenic peptides are effectively presented via MHC I or MHC II on the surface of LSECs to T cells. This results in the induction of regulatory T cells, anergy, deletion or exhaustion of effector T cells, as well as a decrease in proinflammatory cytokine levels. The alteration of the T cell response leads to therapeutic effects in peripheral tissues and the induction of systemic tolerance. Demonstration of this principle has been observed in preclinical pharmacology studies in animal models.
By promoting antigen-specific tolerance, TPCs are designed to reduce the autoimmune response and provide patients with meaningful therapeutic benefits. Our technology also shows significant potential for gene therapy applications, where Topas Particle Conjugates (TPCs) have effectively promoted immune tolerance in preclinical models, addressing the immunogenicity challenges of previous therapies.
Leveraging our adaptable and proprietary antigen-coupled nanoparticle platform technology and its ability to safely reach the liver, Topas will expand its pipeline to address major indications across both autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases, as well as in gene therapy applications.