DiaVacs

DiaVacs (DV-0100) is an autologous cell-based immunotherapy developed for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. The therapy consists of autologous dendritic cells harvested from the patient's blood via leukapheresis and modified ex vivo with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (AS-ODNs) targeting the costimulatory molecules CD40, CD80, and CD86. This treatment generates tolerogenic or regulatory dendritic cells (DC regs) with reduced costimulatory capacity. Upon intradermal administration, these DC regs migrate to the pancreatic lymph nodes, where they take up beta-cell antigens and promote antigen-specific immune tolerance by inducing T effector cell anergy and expanding regulatory T and B cell populations, thereby halting the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. Originally developed based on research at the University of Pittsburgh, the program was granted Orphan Drug designation by the FDA but was discontinued during Phase II development due to funding limitations.

Other names

AS-ODN-treated regulatory dendritic cellsautologous dendritic cell immunotherapydendritic cell-based diabetes therapyDiaVacs ImmunotherapyiDC