MUC4Health

Mucin Glycodomains as Innovative and Alternative Immunomodulatory Strategies

Immunotherapeutic strategies are currently used for treating cancer and autoimmune diseases. While these strategies hold immense promise, in both cases, not all patients respond, and resistance to therapy occurs mostly due to inherent molecular heterogeneity. Immunotherapies can also lead to adverse effects with an imbalance of the immune response and the disruption of self-tolerance. These facts demand the development of disruptive immunomodulatory strategies to actively manipulate anti-tumor immunity and to control autoimmunity by targeting biomarkers that are specifically expressed in the context of the disease. 

The interplay between tumor-associated mucin glycodomains, lectins and immune responses offers an exciting opportunity for developing innovative immunomodulation strategies to restore proper immune reactions.

MUC4Health targets the tumor-associated MUC glycocode/immune lectin interaction axis as a key immune checkpoint and aims to create smart molecules that can be used to control how immune lectins recognize the MUC glycocode. By doing so, we can adjust the delicate balance between tolerance and immunity, offering new avenues for treating cancer and autoimmune diseases.