Rapid Removal of Harmful Inflammation Signals
Chronic and acute inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cytokine‑release syndrome place a growing burden on patients, families and the healthcare system. Clear2Cure and Utrecht University have formed a public‑private partnership to develop interleukin‑6 (IL-6) Clearbodies®, a new class of biologic medicine designed to remove, rather than merely block, the inflammatory messenger IL‑6. Together, we aim to deliver a pre‑clinical lead drug candidate for treating severe inflammation more safely and efficiently.
IL‑6–driven diseases affect millions of people worldwide and are a major cause of pain, disability and loss of productivity. Current IL‑6‑targeting drugs cause long‑lasting, broad immune suppression. This increases infection risk, hospitalizations and costs of care. With healthcare expenditures for chronic immune diseases already running into billions of euros annually, there is an urgent need for smarter therapies that quickly stop inflammatory flares while preserving normal immune defense.
Clearbodies® are modular, antibody–based constructs that capture soluble disease targets, and anchor them to the membrane proteins that rapidly shuttle them to cellular “recycling bins” (lysosomes) for degradation. Using AI‑guided design, microbial production and advanced preclinical tests, we will optimize and select a lead Clearbody® with potent IL‑6 removal and favorable pharmacokinetics. We will then test safety and efficacy in mouse models of cytokine storm and arthritis, while preparing for later‑stage development through early regulatory and partnering activities.
The project will deliver: (1) a pre‑clinical lead IL‑6‑degrading Clearbody® ready for formal development; (2) in‑vivo proof‑of‑concept that extracellular cytokine degradation can combat inflammatory flares and reduce side effects; and (3) a versatile, single‑gene platform that can be rapidly retargeted to other extracellular targets, enabling a pipeline of future medicines.
