NorthStar to sponsor sweeping AAV research program to improve care
Four-part project, taking place at US institute, to involve radioisotopes
NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes will sponsor an investigator-initiated research program focusing on the use of radioisotopes in diagnosing and treating ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), among other program goals.
A radioisotope, or radioactive isotope, is an unstable form of a chemical element that releases radiation to return to a more stable form. NorthStar is focused on the development of radioisotopes to diagnose and treat cancer and other serious diseases. AAV, a group of autoimmune conditions marked by inflammation in small blood vessels, now has been added to the company’s targeted diseases.
“At NorthStar, we believe we’re on the cusp of a global paradigm shift in the development and commercialization of effective new radiodiagnostics and radiotherapies that can potentially be applied to rare, complex conditions such as ANCA-associated vasculitis,” Frank Scholz, PhD, NorthStar’s president and CEO, said in a company press release.
AAV research program to be conducted at unnamed ‘major’ US institution
Titled a “Program to Find a Cure for ANCA-associated Vasculitis Through Research,” the multifaceted study also aims to develop new treatment approaches and to better understand AAV’s underlying immune abnormalities.
It will be conducted at an undisclosed major U.S. research institution under the direction of a private physician and researcher, the release stated.
“This study is expected to give us better insight into the role of inflammation itself in the progression of different [blood vessel-related conditions], and help identify new or alternative diagnosis and treatments that could more easily address diseases where vascular inflammation is playing a key role,” Scholz said.
Most AAV cases are caused by self-reactive antibodies called anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies, or ANCAs, that drive damaging inflammation in small blood vessels. The disease can affect multiple organs — including the lungs, kidneys, nervous system, and skin — with associated disease symptoms.
Radiotherapy, which uses radiation to weaken or destroy targeted cells, is used to treat various medical conditions, especially cancer. Diagnostic procedures using radioisotopes and imaging to assess the function of selected organs and tissues also are routine.
Projects will look into use of radioisotopes to detect and treat AAV
One of the four research projects within the NorthStar-sponsored study will focus on the development and validation of a radioisotope-based imaging scan and a radioisotope therapy for AAV.
The noninvasive positron emission tomography (PET) scan will aim to detect inflamed tissue in AAV, while the radioisotope therapy will be designed to selectively target the abnormal immune B-cells that produce ANCAs.
A second project will focus on developing novel immunotherapies, those that use the body’s own immune system, to selectively eliminate these AAV-driving B-cells. A third project will involve isolating and analyzing self-reactive B-cells to better understand the abnormal immune responses that drive blood vessel inflammation in AAV.
“Use of these novel pathways could also lead to a better understanding of underlying disease mechanisms and help us establish which patients are appropriate for emerging immune-modulating therapies,” Scholz said.
Lastly, the research program will involve the establishment of basic administrative tasks, such as program coordination, the collection of biological specimens, and database maintenance.
Upon completion, the institution and the physician will be able to publish, present, or otherwise use data generated from the research projects.
“By supporting this broad research program, NorthStar can expand our horizons past cancer diagnosis and therapies and play a key role in the effort to find a cure for this constellation of complex conditions,” Scholz said.
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