Seeking Novel Approaches to Promote Immune Reset in Inflammatory Disease/Autoimmune Conditions by Targeting Neuro-Immune Crosstalk

A top five pharmaceutical company is seeking novel approaches and emerging science targeting neuro-immune crosstalk, to promote deep healing and sustained response in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Approaches should complement or surpass existing anti-inflammatory treatments. Solutions that target multiple nodes or pathways in a disease to return tissue(s) to homeostasis are of high interest. 

Approaches of Interest:

• Novel therapeutic approaches to reset the immune system in inflammatory diseases including Rheumatoid Arthritis; Psoriatic Arthritis; Ankylosing Spondylitis; Sjogren Disease; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; Atopic Dermatitis; Psoriasis; Crohn’s Disease; Ulcerative Colitis; Asthma; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Hidradenitis Suppurativa 
• Targeting neural anti-inflammatory pathways to return tissues to homeostasis, promote wound healing, or polarisation of cells to promote tolerance and resolve inflammation 
• Approaches of interest include neuropeptides (CGRP, SP, etc); neurotransmitters (GABA, acetylcholine, etc); enteric neurons; enteric nervous system; vagal and sympathetic innervation of the gastrointestinal tract; intrinsic primary afferent neurons (IPANs); vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) neurons; cholinergic neurons; enteric Glial Cells (EGC); regulatory MoAs in immune cells (adaptive and innate), epithelial and stromal cells (fibroblasts, etc.)
• Therapeutic discovery or development platforms may be considered if specific to neuro‑immune pathways

Out of Scope:

• Therapies causing broad immune suppression 
• Microbiome-targeted approaches (e.g. probiotics), neurodegenerative disease 
• Gene therapy, cell therapy, medical devices, device-mediated drug delivery approaches, biomarkers (without intervention/therapeutic), and drug repurposing 

Developmental Stages of Interest:

• Therapeutics should have pre-clinical validation, with preference for human cell systems and in vivo model data
• Submissions from companies, institutes, or researchers with proven track record in the relevant disease areas are welcome, preferably with suggested next steps to advance solutions in this area 

Submission Information and Opportunity for Collaboration

Submissions should contain 200–300-word briefs along with any relevant data and supplementary information e.g., relevant publications, slide decks and patents. In submitting to this campaign, you confirm and acknowledge that your submission (i) contains only non-confidential information, (ii) creates no obligation of confidentiality (or any other obligation) on any recipient, and (iii) does not infringe or misappropriate any third-party rights. 

Our client is open to a range of potential collaboration opportunities, with the most appropriate outcome being decided in their sole discretion and on a case-by-case basis. Example outcomes may include licensing, investment and research collaborations.