According to an AutoCure document, the work will help elucidate “the structural events during development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis, and also to use the technology as a tool to explore the tissue protective potential of novel treatment modalities.”
Work will focus largely on four specific proteins: the recently described cartilage intermediate layer protein, cartilage oligoneric matrix protein, chondroadherin, and fibromodulin.
But to make such a large network work smoothly, research isn’t limited to basic science and clinical trials. There are other factors that need to be taken into account when so many partners are working together and dealing with so much data. One research group, consisting of five international partners, will focus on developing secure data management and information systems.
Tools to Secure Data
Other groups within the network are working on aspects pertaining to bioethics and legal issues, commercialization of any resulting products or technologies, and the cost-effectiveness of therapies against RA. Commercialization is important because this is what gets treatments to the patients who need them.
To this end, six partners in the AutoCure network are small to mid-sized biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies—Arthrogen B.V, Biovitrium, BMD, Genmab, Oligene, and Future Partner.
“We preferred small, start-up to mid-size companies rather than multinational pharmaceutical companies,” says Dr. Klareskog.
Findings from studies will be freely published, although procedures for commercialization of any therapies or technologies developed via AutoCure are still being ironed out by one of the AutoCare research groups. Thie group includes three university-based partners and all six industrial partners.
The EU has always supported and encouraged the formation of international research networks, but AutoCure, by far, is the most exciting one for rheumatologists.
Pippa Wysong is a medical journalist based in Toronto.
