Immune4cure: a new benchmark for treating autoimmune diseases

[Article] - Published on October 2, 2024 in Major Programs, Flagship Projects

Launched on September 17 by Inserm, Montpellier University Hospital, and Montpellier University, the Immun4cure University Hospital Institute aims to become Europe's^leading center for research and development in immunotherapy applied to autoimmune diseases. Under the direction of Christian Jorgensen, it involves 15 research teams dedicated to scientific excellence, care, and innovation.

Five million people live with an autoimmune disease in France, and approximately 5 to 8% of the world's population. Women are eight times more likely to be affected than men. More than 80 autoimmune diseases have been identified to date. Some of them are well known to the general public, such as type 1 diabetes, Crohn's disease, and multiple sclerosis. Others remain less well known, such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis and systemic lupus. What they all have in common is that they are chronic conditions in which the immune system malfunctions and attacks the body's healthy cells, causing tissue damage and persistent inflammation, which leads to chronic pain.

A comprehensive health strategy

Christian Jorgensen is very familiar with these diseases and the pain associated with them, having headed the Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy (IRMB) and the Clinical and Therapeutic Osteoarticular Immunology Department at Montpellier University Hospital for the past ten years. Since its creation in 2014, the IRMB has been entirely dedicated to understanding the mechanisms of tissue and cell regeneration and the inflammatory processes involved in autoimmune diseases. However, the researcher and his colleagues wanted to go further by creating an innovation hub combining fundamental research, clinical research, patient care, and treatment.

This project was launched in 2024 in the form of a university hospital institute (IHU) called Immun4cure, thanks to the collaboration of three founding partners: the University Hospital, Inserm, and the University of Montpellier. "After the project was certified ExposUM and, more recently, the success of the digital health school  ESNbyUM, the creation of this university hospital institute is part of an overall strategy that positions the University as a key player in health, at the forefront of research and innovation ," explains Philippe Augé, President of the UM.

New therapeutic tools

This new organization has multiple ambitions: "First, we want to break away from conventional therapeutic programs by offering new cellular and biological therapeutic tools aimed at restoring immune balance in autoimmune diseases," continues Christian Jorgensen, who logically heads up the organization. Immun4Cure aims to deepen understanding of three key diseases in particular that are caused by the immune system going into overdrive: rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and lupus.

To achieve this, Immun4cure will be able to count on fifteen mixed research teams, comprising more than 300 researchers working in 8,000 m² of laboratory space spread across two sites: Saint Eloi and the Triolet campus."The IHU's scientific program aims to explore new avenues in the field of biotherapies. Recent advances in the use of T cells in oncology have highlighted the potential of cell therapies and disrupted the drug market."

For Didier Samuel, President and CEO of Inserm, "research into autoimmune diseases is one of Inserm's key areas of focus, alongside innovative immunotherapies. The Montpellier site offers significant advantages for conducting this research, advancing science, and achieving results that benefit everyone's health."

A personalized care pathway

The second ambition put forward by Christian Jorgensen is the development of a personalized care pathway for patients with autoimmune diseases."This multidisciplinary pathway is based on detailed mapping of immune responses, enabling tailored monitoring." The idea here is to be able to move between the patient's room and the laboratory and vice versa thanks to the clinical site attached to the research center on the Saint Eloi campus.

Immun4cure will offer cutting-edge medical analyses to improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, accelerate the development of targeted biomedicines, and provide access to precision immunotherapies and biotherapies developed specifically to offer innovative solutions tailored to each individual case. "Patients who wish to do so will be able to join a cohort and participate in clinical trials starting in 2025," says Anne Ferrer , director of Montpellier University Hospital. "This ambitious project aims to completely transform the care of patients with autoimmune diseases by improving diagnosis, treatment, and care pathways."

At the heart of the healthcare ecosystem

The IHU also aims to be a driver of economic development by encouraging biotechnology companies specializing in biotherapies to set up in Montpellier, thereby contributing to the growth of cell therapies. While the IRMB was already a driver of innovation thanks to the arrival of ten start-ups, Immun4Cure is building on this momentum by strengthening collaborations with start-ups as well as major national and international groups: Arthritis4Cure, Cantarelle, Flash Biosolutions, One Bioscience, Sanofi, ScientaLab, Servier, and SuperBranche.

Emerging biotech companies (Stem Genomics, Spima Therapeutics, Inist, Cell Easy Flash) are also involved in the field of cell therapy and innovative therapies. This approach makes perfect sense in the global environment created in Montpellier by Medvallée, a joint strategy aimed at breaking down barriers between higher education, research, and the business world to make Montpellier an international center of excellence in global health.

Training tomorrow's professionals

Finally, IHU Immune4cure places high-level training at the heart of its priorities and wishes to participate in the development of courses tailored to professions related to autoimmune diseases and cell therapies. A working group coordinated by Marie Morille, a teacher-researcher, is working to implement several initiatives, such as funding Master's 2 scholarships, recruiting two doctoral students per year for four years on this topic, and creating the ImmunoCell university degree program led by Yves-Marie Pers (IRMB) and Jean-Marc Brondello (IRMB). To mark this momentum, the first Immun4cure international conference, in collaboration with the Jacques Courtin Day, will be held on November 28 and 29, 2024, at the Corum.

Keywords: Innovation, Research, Health, Science, University