AFFITOME® technology in neurodegenerative diseases: the doubling advantage

Neurodegenerative diseases are still an area of unmet medical need. This is in contrast to our increasing knowledge on their pathology (e.g., Alzheimer's- (AD), Parkinson's (PD) disease). They are driven by the cerebral accumulation and aggregation of specific proteins (e.g., β-amyloid and hyperphosphorylated tau in the case of AD) in defined brain regions and, as a consequence, death of neurons. Accordingly, removal of given protein aggregates is expected to modify the course of the respective neurodegenerative disease. This has been convincingly demonstrated in animal models of human diseases. However, not every technology that can be used and proves successful in animal models can be translated to the human situation. As highlighted by recent progress in the field of AD research, specific immunotherapy is a viable option in this regard. Given the fact that the aggregates are composed of self-proteins, immunotherapeutic approaches have to consider the issue of potential autoimmunity. This is especially true in case of vaccines. An innovative solution to this problem is offered by the so called AFFITOME® technology, which relies on the use of "doubles" of native molecules, functionally mimotopes or AFFITOPES® if identified by AFFiRiS, as the antigenic vaccine component.