Last Updated on 6th May 2021 by Caroline Haye
What a shot in the arm that would be!
As things stand, there is no outright cure for the appearance-altering pigmentary disorder we call vitiligo. The best that any of us can hope to achieve is a reversal of pigment loss and long-term remission, if we are lucky. A cure would be an answer to prayer for so many people around the world. For countless generations of sufferers and their families, the idea of a reliable vitiligo treatment has been pie in the sky. Soon though, it could be a shot in the arm. It’s possible that sometime soon a DNA injection could cure vitiligo.
What if a series of simple injections (probably one shot several times a year) could make your white patches disappear and prevent them from returning? You might think that the very idea is too good to be true. But the fact is that a lot of progress has been made in the field of vitiligo research over the past few years. And various promising treatments are either being tested or awaiting clinical trials at this very moment.
It’s anyone’s guess which of the potential treatments currently under development is going to make it through the testing and licensing phases to reach patients first. But one of the front runners is a needle-less DNA injection currently under development by a company called Temprian Therapeutics.
Not a tanning drug
You should not confuse this with the so-called “tanning drug” afamelanotide (a.k.a Scenesse or Melanotan). That drug also holds some promise as a potential vitiligo treatment. But the authorities have not yet approved it for this use. Afamelanotide was originally developed to treat a completely different skin condition. A disorder called erythropoietic protoporphyria. This is a condition that results in an abnormally severe reaction to sunlight. And the drug helps to protect the sufferer by boosting melanin production.
The Temprian product, on the other hand, is a drug that targets vitiligo specifically. It achieves this by moderating the autoimmune response that leads to skin de-pigmentation. So the aim of this therapy is not to stimulate the pigment cells directly. It aims instead to prevent them from coming under constant attack from a faulty immune reaction. This approach will prevent skin from losing colour in the first place. But it should also allow existing vitiligo patches to re-pigment naturally without any autoimmune interference.
A modified protein
Research into the autoimmune aspect of vitiligo has been going on for a long time. Researchers have been investigating the link between HSPs (Heat Shock Proteins) and stress-induced vitiligo for more than a decade. This research stems from the discovery that HSP70i, a protein that results from stressed melanocytes, accelerates depigmentation in vitiligo. It does this by triggering a faulty immune response. This means that, for those of us with a genetic tendency to vitiligo, our T cells mistakenly identify our pigment cells as a threat. As a result, our immune system kills them off whenever certain stress factors trigger the production of these heat shock proteins. This explains why vitiligo often appears or spreads following stressful events: physical damage like cuts and abrasions, contact with harmful chemicals, especially phenols, and even psychological pressures and emotional trauma.
Understanding this process gave scientists the idea of using a genetically modified version of the same heat shock protein to reverse the damage. When injected into the skin, this re-engineered protein (named HSP70iQ435A) will actually suppress the release of killer T cells. (As opposed to triggering them, leaving the melanocytes free to produce healthy new pigment.)
No needles needed for this treatment
The prospect of being able to reverse and manage vitiligo with a series of injections is extremely attractive. Especially when you realise that these will be administered using needle-less technology. So they will presumably not cause any further trauma to the skin. (And they will not cause psychological stress to the squeamish needle-phobics among us either).
Of course, this modified heat shock protein therapy is not yet available. It still requires further funding to get it through clinical trials and gain approval for general use. But it is a very exciting prospect. And, for those of us who are keen to stay updated on vitiligo research and the latest developments in vitiligo therapy, it is definitely one to watch closely.
17 thoughts on “DNA injection could cure vitiligo”
This Is wonderful news! I look forward to hearing more about this!
Yes, Parker – research is certainly moving comparatively fast now. So let’s hope we hear more good news about this very soon. 🙂
Absolutely fascinating!!! Great article. Thank you so much for sharing this information. Do you know if that modified protein injection would stop the T-cells from only attacking melanocytes, or would it also supresss normal immune response to bacteria or viruses? That has always been a concern I have had about using anything that lowers immune response in order to treat Vitiligo. Especially because many patients also have ezcema and dry broken and open skin patches which allow bacteria inside. And those germs need to be killed in the body before they multiply. With a suppressed T-cell response, would a person become more susceptible to infection?
Thanks, Michelle. Yes – that has always been my concern with immunosuppressants too. I don’t know enough about the science in involved to be sure but I think that the modified heat shock protein therapy will be very targeted in its effect. Of course, we are talking about a drug and all drugs have some sorts of drawbacks and side effects, but I think that this therapy is aimed at modifying a particular abnormal immune response so that it becomes normal, rather than simply damping down the immune system.
Thank you for sharing Caroline. It’s very uplifting to see such advancements in vitiligo treatment. I’m excited to see how this progresses.
You are welcome, Joel – me too!
The antibody blockade of il-15 will probably be on the market before this (in 3 to 5 years according to Dr Harris) but this is something potentially even more targeted. Thanks for the update!
Thanks for that, Antonio. I think this is the research I referred to in a previous blog: https://thevitpro.com/our-skin-has-a-vitiligo-memory/ You may be right about the timing. I really don’t know. I guess so much depends on funding for both these projects – and the results of clinical trials of course. But it is very exciting to know that this is not just a one-horse race 🙂
if you read me tell me this can cure vitiligo completely
I am optimistic that one or more of the medicines currently being developed will provide a significant breakthrough in treating vitiligo. Hopefully, this will be one of them. But I rather doubt that a total, permanent cure that works for everyone will be available soon. I think it is the nature of vitiligo that some treatments work for some people and not for others. There are no miracles and no guarantees when it comes to complex conditions like vitiligo. But I am excited to think that doctors will be able to offer their patients more treatment options once these new drugs are approved.
I think its a big breakthrough and hsp70i can cure vitiligo once and for all this treatment is going to be released to cure vitiligo once and for all in 2022
It certainly looks like a very promising approach to treating vitiligo. But I think there is still a lot of research and clinical testing to be done on this before anyone knows for sure if the treatment will be safe and effective.
Very informative and it cover recent research in vitiligo and raise a hope for vitiligo patient to cure them
Thank you for your kind comments. I appreciate them.
Sir/Mam when will Hsp70i be available in the market? Will it be a proper cure for vitiligo? Please tell me
I don’t know any dates for this, I’m afraid. These drugs always go through a long trial process and then FDA approval before anyone starts to talk about projected dates. My suggestion is to keep your eyes open on Google so that you catch the latest vitiligo drug news as soon as it is published. I hope that helps.
As to whether this will be a complete cure for vitiligo, I am not qualified to answer that. But my sense is that it might be the closest thing yet to a total cure. But all drugs – and most medical interventions – have side effects of one sort or another. So it is always worth bearing that in mind.