FOCUS DISEASE AREAS

Mast Cell Activation Disease

Mast Cell Activation Disease (MCAD) includes Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), as well as, the rare disease variant Systemic Mastocytosis. MCAS affects an estimated 525 million patients, and often includes as disease manifestation or co-morbidity Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chronic Fatique Sydrome / Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Urticaria, Allergies, Migraine and Chronic Lyme (among several further co-morbidities). The rare disease variant Systemic Mastocytosis affects 750.000 patients globally.

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Respiratory: Asthma

Increasing evidence points toward a key role of mast cells in the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of asthma increasing the need to develop effective mast cell targeted therapies. Mast cells infiltrate the airway mucous glands in patients with asthma correlating with the amount of mucus obstructing the airway lumen and leading to disordered smooth muscle function. An estimated 446 million people suffer from asthma globally.

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Respiratory: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Mast cells with their pivotal role in tissue repair and remodeling are crucially involved in the pathogenesis of fibrotic diseases, such as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis is a rare disease that affects an estimated 450.000 patients globally.

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Gastroenterology: Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Scientific and medical evidence has clearly demonstrated a crucial role of mast cell activation in the pathophysiology of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The abnormal activated mast cells are directly related to visceral hypersensitivity, abdominal pain, diarrhea frequency and further IBS symptoms. IBS has an estimated prevalence of 412 million patients worldwide.

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Gastroenterology: Colitis Ulcerosa

It has become apparent that mast cells play a significant role in several aspects of Colitis Ulcerosa, including regulation of epithelium permeability, transmittance of signals during neuropathologic stress, and inflammatory responses with the subsequent tissue remodeling including fistula and strictures. Colitis Ulcerosa has an estimated prevalence of 4 million patients globally.

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Viral Hemorrhagic Fever: Severe Dengue Disease

Dengue virus infection is the cause of the debilitating diseases dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever. Mast cells are strongly activated by the DENV virus, particularly when mast cells are sensitized with heterologous anti-DENV anti-bodies during secondary infection, which results in activation and degranulation of potent vasoactive mediators that act directly on the vascular endothelium and induce vascular leakage. Our mast cell targeted therapy with a rapid and dose-dependent inhibition of mast cell activity within 60 minutes could limit severe dengue disease significantly and constitute a major advance for the clinical management of dengue fever. Around 500,000 people, mostly children, are hospitalized with Severe Dengue each year. Every 20 minutes a life is lost to dengue.

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