TolerGenics Exclusively Licenses American Red Cross Immune Tolerance Technology

Autoimmine uveitis clinical trial planned for 2005.

Rockville, MD (PRWEB) October 28, 2004 -- TolerGenics, Inc. announced today the exclusive licensing of patented autoimmune tolerance technology from the American Red Cross. The technology was developed by Dr. David W. Scott while at the University of Rochester and subsequently enhanced while at the American Red Cross. This platform technology has been shown in animal models to turn off the immune response against specific proteins attacked in the autoimmune diseases uveitis (an eye disease that causes blindness), juvenile diabetes, myasthenia gravis, and multiple sclerosis.

TolerGenics is currently designing clinical trials to validate this technology in humans. According to Stephen S. Perry Jr., TolerGenics' President, "Patient drug expenditures for uveitis and juvenile diabetes exceed $4 billion per year. With further development and testing, it is hoped that this technology would offer a chance for patients to live without steroids or daily insulin shots. This has the potential to significantly improve their quality of life." A Phase I clinical trial in uveitis is planned for 2005.

TolerGenics, Inc. is a cellular therapy company developing human therapeutics for the treatment of uveitis, juvenile diabetes, myasthenia gravis, and multiple sclerosis. With over $4.5 million in grants and SBIR funding, TolerGenics is developing a proprietary treatment for inducing tolerance. The platform technology makes the immune system "tolerant," with the goal of preventing damaging attacks on the body's own tissues. Once these novel therapies are developed, they could also be used to treat additional autoimmune diseases and allergies, and prevent tissue and organ transplant rejections. TolerGenics' technology could also potentially be used in combination with protein therapeutics to prevent rejection of the injected proteins.

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