Global healthcare company Grifols has partnered with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority BARDA to develop the first immunotherapy eye drops to prevent the long-term effects of exposure to sulfur mustard, commonly referred to as ‘mustard gas’.

Sulfur mustard, which came into widespread use during World War I, has a long history of use as a chemical warfare agent. It burns the skin, is toxic to living cells and is a strong caustic, meaning it causes oozing blisters. And exposure causes bad effects on the eyes, especially short- and long-term.

Since sulfur mustard reacts with water, constantly wet eyes mean that the eye is more sensitive to this substance than other organs. Concentration and exposure time It determines the degree of short-term vision loss, from simple conjunctivitis (“pink eye”) of one or two weeks to severe corneal damage with significant vision loss. (The cornea is the clear layer of tissue that covers the front of the eye like a protective window.) However, exposure of the eyes to sulfur mustard can also cause long-term effects such as recurring inflammation and erosion of the cornea.

There is no effective treatment for eye damage caused by sulfur mustard. However, Grifols, a global healthcare company and leading manufacturer of plasma-derived drugs, has partnered with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to test innovative immunotherapy eye drops for the treatment of sulfur mustard exposure.

IN THE BARIts mission is to develop ‘medical countermeasures’ for the public health and medical consequences of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear accidents, incidents and attacks. It does this by providing support for clinical and non-clinical studies.

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In March 2023, Grifols Selajinfrom the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is a company focused on new treatments for eye diseases and has developed a therapeutic ocular surface immunoglobulin (OSIG) eye drop. dry eye diseaseThis is a condition in which a person’s tears do not provide sufficient lubrication to the eyes.

Immunoglobulins (Ig), also known as antibodies, are produced by white blood cells. Immunoglobulin therapy It is prepared from a pool of antibodies taken from the plasma of thousands of healthy donors. It can be used to prevent a person’s immune system from accidentally attacking their own body (i.e., treating autoimmune disorders) and to suppress harmful inflammation. It is usually injected into a vein, muscle or under the skin. OSIG eye drops developed by Grifols and UIC are currently in Phase 2 clinical trials.

Through their partnership with BARDA, Grifols will investigate, through preclinical studies, how OSIG’s anti-inflammatory properties can be used to stop the immune system from attacking self-antigens, receptors on the surface of cells that tell the immune system where the cell belongs. body caused by exposure to sulfur mustard, protects. If the drops can do this, they could reduce the chance of long-term eye damage.

“Grifols is applying its leadership in immunoglobulins, a powerful class of drugs with a unique mechanism of action, to develop safe, effective and readily available IG-based ocular therapies to alleviate conditions that severely impact people’s vision and quality of life,” said Joerg. Schuettrumpf is Grifols’ Chief Scientific Innovation Officer. “We continue to build a pipeline of innovation focused on bringing more and better treatments to patients.”

Although many countries, including the United States, have destroyed mustard stockpiles, accidental exposure is still a concern, given that some of these stocks have ended up in the ocean.

Source: griffles