A Nose for Relief: Intranasal Drug Shows Promise for Vasculitis Symptoms
A recent subanalysis of a clinical trial platform has identified a potential new therapy for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) manifestations in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody–associated vasculitis (AAV). The study investigated intranasal niclosamide, a drug previously shown in zebrafish models to inhibit granuloma formation driven by proteinase 3 (PR3), a key autoantigen in this autoimmune disease. In this randomized, double-blind trial, patients with AAV who received the intranasal niclosamide experienced significantly fewer ENT symptoms during the treatment period compared to those on placebo, with the effect being particularly pronounced in patients positive for PR3-ANCA. The findings suggest that targeting the IL-6 and STAT3 signaling pathway locally in the nasal mucosa could be a viable strategy for managing these difficult-to-treat symptoms.
Why it might matter to you: This research directly addresses an unmet therapeutic need in autoimmune vasculitis by exploring a localized, immunomodulatory approach. For immunologists and clinicians, it highlights the potential of repurposing existing drugs to target specific immune pathways, like IL-6/STAT3, involved in granulomatous inflammation. The results could inform the development of more targeted immunotherapies that mitigate tissue-specific damage without broad systemic immunosuppression.
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