Imagine a treatment that could only target the defective parts of the immune system, offering a precise and effective solution for autoimmune diseases. This approach, which involves selective suppression of a certain part of the immune system, could become available in the next five years, according to researchers involved in their development.
Reverse Vaccines: A revolutionary approach for treating autoimmune photo tenogy diseases
Autoimmune diseases affect about 800 million people globally – that is, almost one in ten people. From multiple sclerosis and lupus, to type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, these conditions have a common element: the body’s immune system attacks their own tissues.
The current treatment involves suppressing the entire immune system, which comes with a significant cost – patients become vulnerable to other diseases and often need daily invasive therapies.
Now, however, a paradigm change is outlined: researchers develop a strategy that only aims at that part of the immune system that works abnormally. These treatments are called “Reverse vaccines”because, unlike conventional vaccines that activate immunity, they reduce it selectively.
“This is the Holy Grail. We want to use a scalpel, not a hammer, to treat these diseases”says immunologist Stephen Miller at Northwestern University, USA, The Guardian.
Revolutionary Study: Reverse vaccines can prevent autoimmune reaction to gluten
Stephen Miller’s work From 2021, published in 2022 in Gastroenterology magazine, it was the first to show that reverse vaccines can be effective in humans. The study focused on celiac disease, in which the immune system attacks the intestinal mucosa when it detects the presence of gluten – a protein found in wheat and other cereals.
During two weeks, 33 patients with celiac disease were consumed gluten; About half of them had previously received the reverse vaccine, while the rest received a placebo.
At the end of the period, the researchers examined the intestinal mucosa of the participants and found that the patients who had received the reverse vaccine did not have damage, as opposed to the placebo group, which have been registered significant symptoms.
Immune system re -education: How do you work in reverse vaccines
The basic idea of reverse vaccines consists in the use of synthetic nanoparticles, attached by specific proteins related to diseases – called antigens – acting as targeted messengers to “Reprogramm” the immune response.
Nanoparticles mimic human cells in the process of natural death (apoptosis), an ordinary phenomenon in the body. Although these dead cells are technical “Foreigners”the immune system learns not to attack them. Thus, the system gets to ignore both nanoparticles and antigens attached to them, ceasing to react aggressively to the body’s own proteins.
“What this process does is to re -educate the immune system so to say:” Ok, it’s okay, I don’t have to attack this, because it is not a threat “,” explains Jeffrey Hubbell, Bioinginer at the University of Chicago.
In 2023 Hubbell and his colleagues published a Reviewed article in Nature magazinedemonstrating that this method can stop the experimental form of multiple sclerosis (MS) in mice – a disease in which the immune system attacks the protective coating of the nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
In the last eight months, Anokion, the company founded by Hubbell and its collaborators to market technology, reported promising results in the first clinical studies on people – for both celiac disease and multiple sclerosis.
“Once we get the approval for a condition, we can advance with others”
The discovery that certain molecules with negative load can re -educate the immune system so that it does not attack their own tissues, it was “A pure incident”recognizes the immunologist Pere Santamaria, from the University of Calgary. He is among the first researchers who made this discovery: “I would never have guessed it. Not even in my craziest dreams.”
Santamaria has spent most of the career studying type 1 diabetes-an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks pancreas cells responsible for insulin production.
Recently, it has expanded its research to other autoimmune diseases, including a rare condition called primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), which affects the bile ducts in the liver.
An important advantage of work with PBC is precisely the rarity of the disease – which allows the clinical studies to be carried out on a smaller number of patients and thus can accelerate the approval of the treatments.
“Once we get the approval for a condition, it is very possible to advance faster and for others”, Explains Santamaria.
The reverse vaccines “work every time in animals”
One of the great advantages of reverse vaccines is their versatility: this approach seems promising for a wide range of autoimmune diseases.
“It works every time in animals. I have tested the method in many animal models of autoimmune diseases”says Santamaria. Of course, success in animal experiments does not guarantee efficiency in human studies.
Last year, Bana Jabri, the director of the Image Institute in Paris, co -authorized an analysis of the progress related to the reverse vaccines. It is prudent optimistic about their potential, but stresses that the immune system is extremely complex. For example, some immune cells circulate throughout the body, while others remain permanent in certain tissues. Jabri says it is not yet clear if current reverse treatments can influence both types of cells.
Another possible advantage: most researchers believe that the effects of reverse vaccines could take months or even more – similar to the durability of many classic vaccines.
“The immune system is incredible. It has memory, and that memory persists.”says Hubbell.
Currently, most treatments for autoimmune diseases require frequent – often daily administration.
Reverse vaccines – a possible solution for allergies
Reverse vaccines seem to provide benefits beyond autoimmune diseases. They could also work in the case of allergies, which also involves an exaggerated reaction of the immune system – this time against a food or environmental factor, not to their own body.
In 2022, Stephen Miller and his colleague, biomedical engineer Lonnie Shea of the University of Michigan, published a pilot study conducted on mice with allergy to peanuts. The animals that received the reverse vaccine were able to consume a significantly larger amount of peanuts without showing symptoms, compared to those who had not received the treatment.
In April 2025, Jeffrey Hubbell and several colleagues published a study in Science Translational Medicine, demonstrating that their reverse vaccine can protect allergic mice against allergens from home dust – a frequent cause of asthma – as well as against proteins in egg white, an experimental model. Its protection maintained even after repeated exposures to allergens, over several months.
In 2024, Lonnie Shea published another study on alpha-gray syndrome-a severe meat allergy, triggered by the sting of a tick. The affected mice that received a reverse vaccine showed significantly fewer symptoms compared to those who had received a placebo.
“We have practically managed to convince the immune system that these proteins are not dangerous“Explains Shea.
Reverse vaccines: progress and partnerships that rush approval
At this time, it is difficult to estimate as long as it will take until the reverse vaccines will be approved for large -scale use in humans. Miller, Shea, Hubbell, Santamaria and other researchers are involved in recently established biotech companies that develop these treatments. Some top pharmaceutical companies also seem very interested in this approach and already collaborate with startups to speed up the development process.
In December, Genentech has announced a partnership with Cour-the startup founded by Stephen Miller and Lonnie Shea-a collaboration that could reach up to $ 900 million.
Last year, Parvus, the company founded by Pere Santamaria, concluded a partnership with the Pharmaceutical giant Abbie.
Currently, several reverse vaccines are in the second phase of clinical trials – research on a small number of patients, meant to test the efficiency and safety of treatment in humans.
Some researchers estimate that the first reverse vaccines may become available in the next three to five years. Others are more prudent. “I think it will take 10 years until we are sure that it really works. But it could be less … or more”says Bana Jabri.
Even so, almost all researchers are optimistic. “20 years ago, I would have told you that this is impossible, categorically not. Today, I can say with confidence that it will happen. No doubt ”says Miller.
