The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grants $ 40 million to a British company. This is developing a new form of immunotherapy.
Bill Gates is now on all fronts. Access to drinking water, fight against infectious diseases, prevention campaigns… Through his Foundation, the richest man in the world devotes his fortune to the health of the most disadvantaged. Its most recent contribution: $ 40 million – or approximately € 33.4 million – allocated to Immunocore Limited.
The British company has developed a new form of immunotherapy. Instead of modifying the action of T lymphocytes – which make up the immune system – the approach focuses on their receptors. And some molecules could be effective against infectious diseases, Bill Gates’ hobbyhorse.
Combine approaches
With this $ 40 million, the founder of Microsoft has a clear goal in mind. That T cell receptor based treatments are the next class of drugs against viruses and bacteria. In fact, the molecules developed by Immunocore have delivered some interesting results.
In 2016, in Molecular Therapy, British researchers published a study focused on HIV. Finding a definitive cure for this virus is, in a way, a quest for the Grail. Antiretroviral treatment can stop its progression. But the reservoirs remain intact and the discontinuation of the drugs is quickly followed by a resumption of the infection.
By testing their technique on cells from HIV-positive patients, the scientists obtained positive results. Their molecule, called ImmTAV, redirects the immune system against infected cells, and in particular reservoirs. Used in combination with antiretrovirals, it could therefore help to get rid of HIV permanently.
A fast lane
Among the recalcitrant diseases that could benefit from this new approach is also tuberculosis. This pathology, of bacterial origin, causes 10.4 million new infections each year. Here too, the British hope to find an alternative to antibiotics.
It must be said that putting an end to the infection requires patience. It takes several months to eradicate the bacillus that causes tuberculosis. “We believe that the immune system has the capacity to respond to the problem of infectious diseases,” said Namir Hassan, Vice-President of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Immunocore. Our TCR-based treatments are best placed to mobilize this mechanism. “
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