COUR Pharmaceuticals is developing first-in-class therapies designed to reprogram the immune system to achieve antigen-specific tolerance for immune-mediated disease. COUR’s platform of immune-modifying nanoparticles aims to treat the root cause of immune disease, unlike traditional approaches, which only minimize symptoms using toxic immune suppression. COUR’s lead product for celiac disease, partnered with Takeda, is the first demonstration of induction of antigen-specific immune tolerance in any autoimmune disease. Data from clinical and preclinical settings demonstrate the opportunity for the COUR nanoparticle platform to address a wide range of immune and inflammatory conditions.

Data from clinical and preclinical settings demonstrate the opportunity for the COUR nanoparticle platform to address a wide range of immune and inflammatory conditions. Immune-related diseases are more prevalent than ever in populations around the globe, yet they remain the hardest diseases to treat. Immune therapies in use today are primitive. They rely on immune suppression, shutting down the basic immune apparatus, which may lead to significant untoward collateral immune disease.

This approach does not address the underlying cause of immune-related disease. Scientists in immunology have posited that the gold standard for treating immune-related disease is tolerance – getting the body to recognize and tolerate the specific antigens or allergens that trigger destructive and often life-threatening immune activation. Based upon decades of research at Northwestern University, in combination with our techniques in nanoparticle science, COUR is aiming to develop a platform designed to address antigen/allergen specific immune mediated diseases. We believe that there is an alternative to suppressing the immune system that creates the opportunity to reprogram it and reverse the course of immune mediated disease.