The use of anti-CD20 therapies has revolutionized treatment options for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, reducing relapses and halting disease progression. While CD20 is primarily expressed by B cells at different stages, a small T-cell subset also expresses CD20, and therefore anti-CD20 therapies also directly and indirectly affect T cells.
Mozart Therapeutics Inc. CEO Katie Fanning said the firm’s $55 million series A financing will allow the filing of an IND, probably in early 2024, for a prospect in celiac disease. Founded in July 2020, Seattle-based Mozart is based on research into the CD8 T-cell regulatory network, which has been found to play an important role in surveillance, recognition and elimination of inappropriately activated autoreactive and pathogenic immune cells.
A study led by Chinese scientists at Tsinghua University in Beijing has demonstrated that the gut microbial metabolite butyrate can directly modulate the antitumor CD8 "killer" T-cell response and improve chemotherapy efficacy through ID2-dependent IL-12 signaling.
