Novozymes Biopharma today announced a collaborative research agreement with Rhode Island-based biotech company EpiVax, to help further the development of a treatment for autoimmune diseases. The research agreement will involve linking EpiVax's proprietary Tregitope (T regulatory epitopes) immune-modulating therapy for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes, to Novozymes' proven Albufuse half-life extension platform, helping to enhance its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. As a result, it will be possible to modulate half-life of the therapy to offer improved control, enhancing the overall efficacy of treatment.

EpiVax has identified a set of natural Tregitopes derived from Immunoglobulin G (IgG) that induce tolerance to immunogenic proteins. Preliminary studies in the area of Type 1 diabetes have indicated that Tregitopes specifically induce natural Tregs and, when co-administered with an antigen, lead to the expansion of antigen-specific regulatory T cells. Modulation of auto-immune responses to autologous epitopes by induction of antigen-specific tolerance may prevent ongoing beta-cell destruction and restore the production of insulin.