Joint Research Project to Explore Inflammation

A joint research project to develop a medical device that can control systemic inflammatory reactions has been announced by the clinical immunology department at the University of Uppsala (Sweden) and Allvivo, Inc. (Lake Forest, IL, USA).

It is well understood that inflammation can be controlled by blocking particular steps in the cascade of protein interactions that follows activation of complement. However, the difficulty lies in developing an effective combination of chemistry and feasibility that can accomplish this task in a real clinical setting. The University of Uppsala is a leading world center of research on complement activation and regulation. Investigators in the clinical immunology department have identified regulatory proteins that would be promising candidates for incorporation into a complement-regulating device.

Allvivo has developed biomimetic surface technology that is especially well suited for this application. With this technology, selected proteins can be bound to plastic surfaces in a way that preserves the proteins' natural biologic function and, at the same time, keeps other proteins or cells from interacting with the surface. These properties might prevent the device-related activation of complement and allow therapeutic proteins to be bound to the surface to control cellular interactions.

"We are very excited about this project and the relationship that we have with the University of Uppsala,” said Frank Ahmann, president and CEO of Allvivo. "Dr. Nilsson's group is well known for its expertise in this field. The potential for making a real improvement in clinical outcomes is huge.”





Related Links:
Univ. of Uppsala
Allvivo