The landscape for autoimmune disease has changed dramatically over the last few decades. As new research comes to light, more treatments are being introduced that are effective at managing autoimmune conditions. Here are some of the new treatments on the horizon for autoimmune disease management.
Overview of Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune diseases have become more prevalent and common in the U.S. and worldwide. An estimated 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease, which is likely an underestimation given how difficult it can be to get a diagnosis. According to a 2020 study, the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) was significantly increasing in the U.S. Antinuclear antibodies is a common biomarker of autoimmunity. Up to 15% of healthy individuals can have a positive ANA without a full blown autoimmune disease. However, this type of increase may indicate an upward trend for autoimmune disease prevalence.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with autoimmune diseases, these are a collection of approximately 100 conditions where the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues and cells. They include conditions like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and inflammatory bowel disease. There are currently no cures for these diseases. Medications and alternative treatments can help put diseases into remission. However, for many people, the medications are not effective in stopping the progression of the diseases.
Old School Treatments for Autoimmune Diseases
For decades, receiving an autoimmune disease diagnosis meant that you were subscribing to a life-long treatment plan of immunosuppressants. These medications block an overactive immune system from attacking the body. However, it also puts the individual at risk for developing infections and other illnesses because it stops the immune system from functioning normally. For instance, corticosteroids work by blocking inflammatory cascades like NF-kB, suppress T-cells and B-cells and disable white blood cells. While these medications are effective, they typically come with a variety of negative side effects.
New Treatments for Autoimmune Diseases
Research and development has come a long way for autoimmune conditions. Instead of using drugs that widely suppress the immune system, newer treatments are using a more targeted approach. Here are a couple of new treatments currently in the works:
Cell-depleting therapeutics
This newer technology targets B-cells, T-cells and plasma cells to break self-tolerance, clear autoantibodies and reset the immune system. One medication, called Rosnilimab, selectively depletes affected T-cells that express high levels of the PD-1 receptor that drives chronic inflammation. It leaves the healthy T-cells alone, which helps keep the rest of the immune system healthy and functioning. This drug had positive results for rheumatoid arthritis in its Phase 2B Trial.
mRNA and CAR-T Therapy
Another exciting breakthrough for autoimmune diseases was first developed for cancer patients. These treatments use temporary mRNA programming to train healthy cells to attack and destroy the disease-driving cells. CAR-T therapy has had success in treating lupus, systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis and more.
These therapies are exciting and bring hope to so many of us who suffer from autoimmune diseases. Most of these drugs are still in the testing phase and may not come to market for years to come. However, if you are interested in potentially trying these treatments, there are currently clinical trials happening all over the World. You can find out more by going to clinicaltrials.gov or CenterWatch for U.S. based trials, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for International based research.
Nutrition and lifestyle can also play an important role in any autoimmune disease treatment plan. To learn more about how I can help you implement dietary changes to improve your condition, please contact me for help. In addition, follow me on my socials (Instagram, Facebook and YouTube) for more tips for using nutrition and lifestyle habits to lower inflammation.
THE INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT OR CARE OF DISEASE BY A MEDICAL PROVIDER. THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR QUALIFIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL FOR ANY CHANGES TO YOUR MEDICAL CARE.
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