Personalized treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients
One third of RA-patients has more severe disease and does not respond to current therapies. Higher levels of auto-IgA are observed in these therapy refractory-patients, which can activate immune cells. Patients may therefore benefit from anti-CD89 therapy (developed by JJP Biologistics), but it is currently unknown who these patient are. In this research we will identify which auto-IgA or CD89 characteristics can be used as stratification-tool to identify these patients.
The development of a stratification tool is obligatory to maximize the success rate of clinical studies, to prevent ineffective treatment to patients in studies and to keep the number of patients low in studies. This will lead to new treatment options for (therapy-refractory) RA-patients. Improved and personalized therapy will lead to better clinical outcome, less unnecessary treatments and/or side effects as well as improvement of RA-associated disability and the overall quality of life. Moreover, providing personalized-treatment for these patients based on an IgA-stratification-tool will reduce costs, hereby lowering economic burden to society.
In this project we will determine whether auto-IgA related characteristics are associated with a more severe disease course and are different in therapy-refractory patients vs patients who respond to current therapies. Moreover we will study whether the more pro-inflammatory CD89- polymorphism is enriched in (therapy-refractory) RA-patients. Once we know these (auto-)IgA/CD89 characteristics, we will determine how these characteristics influence myeloid cells activation. Finally, we will establish if auto-IgA activated myeloid cells are blocked using anti-CD89 therapy. Collectively, this is information will be used to develop a stratification tool to select patients for who may benefit from anti-CD89 therapy.
After delivery of this stratification tool, it will be validated and developed into companion diagnostics for use in clinical practice.
