Atopy is one of the most common diseases in dogs. It affects approximately 15% of dog population in developed countries and this percentage continues to rise every year.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic autoimmune dermatitis with periods of remissions and exacerbations. Its clinical manifestations include persistent pruritus and skin lichenification.
The causes of AD are genetic, and its pathogenesis has not been fully understood. It is believed that atopic dermatitis is caused by abnormal immune response of Langerhans cells to exposure to small doses of antigen.
The currently available therapies do not solve the problem of atopy. Why? Firstly, atopic dermatitis is treated by removing allergens that cause sensitisation, which is often impossible. Only symptomatic treatment is applied in such cases. To this end, patients receive e.g. antihistamines, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs. All these substances may result in an excessive downregulating of the immune system, which in turn often leads to secondary infections, e.g. mycoses. Additionally, anti-inflammatory drugs do not guarantee long-standing therapeutic effects, and prolonged use carries an increased risk of adverse reactions.
Bioceltix is developing a new generation biopharmaceutical for the treatment of AD, based on factors secreted by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
The medicinal product will be a natural composition of biologically active substances with a strong immunomodulatory effect.
Due to the natural character of the active pharmaceutical ingredients and their prevalence in the body, their safety and efficacy seem to be considerably higher when compared to conventional therapies.
Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Feb; 18(2): 244.
Studies from the past two years indicate that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show significant therapeutic potential against chronic inflammatory skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis. Although their mechanism of action has not been fully understood, the use of MSCs in the treatment of atopic dermatitis produces very pronounced clinical results. It is believed that the therapeutic effect is induced by the immunomodulatory properties of MSCs.
