Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the liver. Treatments rely on broadly suppressing immune activity, with associated side effects and a risk of relapse. MAGNETIMA explores a strategy that combines inflammation control with the restoration of more targeted immune tolerance.
The project will develop nanoassemblies combining iron oxide nanoparticles, an anti-inflammatory drug and a peptide designed to guide the immune response towards tolerance. Their activation by an alternating magnetic field will be investigated as a means of remotely triggering drug release. The ambition is to limit the autoimmune response while better preserving the body’s overall immune defences.
The formulations will be evaluated in human cell models, including three-dimensional liver models, and subsequently in a mouse model of autoimmune hepatitis. Magnetic particle imaging will be used to monitor their distribution and fate in the body. Bringing together chemistry, physics and immunology, MAGNETIMA aims to establish preclinical proof of concept for future, more targeted therapies for autoimmune diseases.
