Description

Vacara’s development of tolerizing vaccines for RA has been transferred to the German start up company AidCure (https://www.aidcure.org/). The lead candidate, AID001, is a peptide-based tolerizing vaccine which is now under preparation for a clinical trial in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute. It is designed to prevent and treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by restoring immune tolerance and reducing joint inflammation.

Unlike conventional immunosuppressive therapies, AID001 retrains the immune system to stop attacking joint tissues. It works by:

• Activating regulatory T cells (Tregs): These cells suppress autoimmune responses and promote immune balance.
• Presenting joint-specific antigens in a tolerogenic context: This teaches the immune system to accept these antigens as part of the body, rather than misidentifying them as threats.
• Preventing disease progression: In preclinical models, AID001 has shown promise in halting arthritis before joint damage occurs.

This approach builds on recent advances in antigen-specific tolerance and offers a new direction for autoimmune disease therapy — one that preserves overall immune function while silencing harmful attacks.