Our Technology

Antigen specific immunotherapeutics and -vaccines are considered as one of the most innovative developments for inducing tolerance. These therapies rehabilitate the immune system and prepare the human body to tolerate these antigens.

Our pioneering research has led to a novel targeting approach that certain receptors at dendritic cells have a high specificity for binding specific glycan structures. We have demonstrated that these glycan structures can be used as probes to directly target dendritic cells in tissue and thereby modulate an immune response inducing tolerance.

Utilizing specific glycans that suppress the immune response GlycoTreat is now at the forefront of bringing a whole new generation of short-term Allergen ImmunoTherapy to the clinic.

Glycans are complex carbohydrate structures that cover the surfaces of all mammalian cells and form recognition elements for glycan sensor molecules that, upon recognition, mediate cellular communication. Glycan recognition is playing a crucial role in cellular communication between immune cells.

Dendritic cells are instrumental in stimulating or inhibiting immune responses and express many glycan sensor molecules.  These glycan sensor molecules (called lectins) recognize specific glycans and can thereby instruct tailor made immune responses. Recognition of glycans on pathogens by dendritic cells can initiate immunological defense.