Testing immunomodulatory drugs using blood from healthy volunteers [COVID-19]

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Impact of therapeutics and potential therapeutics on immune cells isolated from human blood

• IRAS ID

  263797

• Contact name

  Omar Qureshi

• Contact email

  omar.qureshi@celentyx.com

• Sponsor organisation

  Celentyx Ltd

• Duration of Study in the UK

  5 years, 0 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Diseases of the human immune system generally result in either overactive or misplaced immune responses (e.g. autoimmunity and allergy), or underactive, deficient immune responses that can leave the patient susceptible to opportunistic infections. Other disorders that are not traditionally thought of as having an immune component directly, are also known to affect immunity. In many cancer settings for example, the immune system is inhibited so that the patient is unable to mount a successful immune response against their tumour.
  
  Modulation of the human immune system therefore offers clear therapeutic potential in a wide range of diseases. Again, using cancer as the example, approved drugs such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab focus on the recruitment of the immune system with the intention of overcoming the tumour-induced inhibition of immunity.
  This research study will be funded by Celentyx Ltd., for the purpose of continuing to investigate the impact made by therapeutics, or potential therapeutics, on the function of the human immune system. The aim is to identify potential therapeutic benefit or the potential to evoke adverse effects, and the work will be largely focused on therapeutics being developed for the treatment of cancer, autoimmunity, inflammation, and fibrosis. It will include support for the development of effective therapeutics and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.

  The methodology involves a range of in vitro assays using human immune cells and immune components isolated from blood. In this study, the blood samples will be collected from healthy individuals recruited locally or obtained through NHSBT and a small number of commercial companies.
  
  The study will contribute to the identification of successful new therapies that work through modulation of the human immune response. There remains great potential for further discovery in this area of therapeutics and to fulfil unmet clinical needs.

• REC name

  Wales REC 6

• REC reference

  20/WA/0216

• Date of REC Opinion

  23 Sep 2020

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion