Targeting Immune Dysfunction in ALS

ALS is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease in which the loss of motor neurons steadily erodes patients’ ability to move, speak, and live independently. Available therapies have had limited impact on disease progression. Coya Therapeutics is pursuing an immune-based approach built around restoring the function of regulatory T cells. Its experimental therapy, COYA 302, combines the cytokine IL-2 with CTLA4-Ig, a fusion protein that dampens inflammatory myeloid-cell activity. Arun Swaminathan, CEO of Coya, discusses how dysfunctional regulatory T cells contribute to neuroinflammation and neuronal damage in ALS, why the company is targeting them as a driver of disease progression, and the case for its dual immunomodulatory approach.