Patent awarded for method to dampen immune response
Tuesday, January 18, 2011 - 15:00
in Health & Medicine
National Jewish Health has been issued a US patent claiming a method to desensitize B cells by inactivating antigen receptors on their surfaces. The method, discovered by John Cambier, PhD, Chairman of the Integrated Department of Immunology at National Jewish Health, holds promise for treatment of B-cell mediated diseases, such as lymphoma and leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and rejection of organ transplants. This therapeutic approach has the potential advantage of inactivating B cells instead of killing them as current treatments do. Therefore, this potential therapy could be more rapidly adjusted in response to the changing needs of patients.