Allergy is one of the most common medical conditions. It has been estimated that within 40 years, as much as half of the world’s population will suffer from some form of allergy. Desentum, a spin-off company of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, is developing immunotherapy-based drugs (vaccines) for the treatment of allergies.
Allergies can be alleviated by avoiding the allergens that cause an allergic reaction (e.g. pollen, animal dander, or food), with medication, or via desensitization that boosts immunological tolerance towards the allergen.
“However, it is not always possible to avoid allergens. Medication relieves the allergic symptoms but does not cure the disease itself. While desensitization treatments can permanently eliminate allergies, traditional desensitization usually requires several years of treatment – the patient has to be very motivated and committed to the treatment plan”, Pekka Mattila, the CEO of Desentum, explains.
Biopharmaceutical company Desentum is developing novel immunotherapeutic proteins (sometimes referred to as “vaccines”) that aim at influencing the mechanism of allergy onset, at the molecular level. The structures of hypoallergens (modified allergens) have been altered to minimize the activation of the body’s natural allergic reaction and histamine secretion, while leading the immune system to produce antibodies that help to destroy the allergens.
“Desentum’s goal is to elicit a safe and long-lasting immune response during a treatment period of a few months. This way, permanent results could be obtained significantly faster than with traditional desensitization”, Mattila assures.
Desentum’s technology is based on scientific findings made at VTT and at the University of Eastern Finland. The company was founded in 2011 and currently employs a staff of 7 people.
At present the company is developing novel hypoallergens for the treatment of the most common allergies – birch pollen, grass pollen, horse, and dog. Product development of the birch pollen allergy vaccine has progressed the furthest – hypoallergens are currently being produced in cleanroom facilities and the results from pre-clinical studies are very promising. The first clinical trials are to be initiated in the beginning of 2018, in collaboration with the HUS Skin and Allergy Hospital.
Desentum’s strength is in the patented technology based on high-class research, and the quality of hypoallergen production. “Both the structure and the production method of hypoallergens are protected by patents”, Mattila remarks.
“At the moment, our biggest challenge is to show that our drug candidates also work in humans”, Mattila emphasizes and continues, “when clinical efficacy has been proven, we will pursue collaboration with the largest companies in the field, such as ALK or Stallergenes Greer”.
Pekka Mattila has both a great deal of experience and a strong vision for biotech business in Finland. Mattila is the founder of Finnzymes and sits on the board of directors of several Finnish biotech and healthcare companies: Fimmic Ltd, Medix Biochemica, Herantis Pharma, and Mobidiag Ltd.
“There are, and there will be, many promising start-ups in the Helsinki metropolitan area, whose operations and progression relies on the business incubators”, Mattila reflects.
According to Mattila, excellent drug development takes place in Finland. Nevertheless, young companies should receive more support to advance new technologies and drug candidates into clinical trials as flexibly as possible.
Mattila is satisfied with the Finnish crowdfunding activity, but foreign risk funding needs to be attracted to Finland more efficiently. “It is particularly important to secure sufficient economic support for companies in the start-up phase, so that they can focus on proving the functionality of their business idea instead of applying for funding”, Mattila emphasizes.
Photos and interview by: Hanna Ala-Hongisto, Health Capital Helsinki / MedEngine Oy
