ASCEND

First-in-class inflammasome-targeting antibody to restore gut health in inflammatory bowel diseases

The ASCEND project will develop MY012, a novel monoclonal antibody for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), targeting extracellular ASC specks within the inflammasome pathway. This differentiated mechanism aims to address key limitations of current IBD therapies, including non-response, loss of response, toxicity, and relapse, by interrupting a downstream amplification loop of chronic inflammation while supporting tissue repair.

The consortium will generate a robust preclinical evidence package by integrating chronic in vivo IBD models, human-relevant intestinal organoid and epithelial injury assays, and a translational biomarker strategy. These activities will validate MY012’s efficacy in chronic inflammation and fibrosis-relevant settings, establish new physiologically relevant drug-testing models, and identify biomarkers that support target engagement monitoring and patient stratification. Cross-platform transcriptomic and protein analyses will be used to define response signatures and improve prediction of clinical benefit.

By the end of the project, MY012 will be advanced towards clinical readiness through candidate optimisation and developability assessments, including stability, formulation suitability for subcutaneous administration, and preliminary safety profiling. In parallel, the project will deliver exploitable research tools, including improved human organoid workflows and biomarker assays with potential value for broader IBD drug development. Overall, ASCEND aims to deliver a first-in-class therapeutic concept supported by translational models and biomarkers that improve the probability of successful clinical development and future adoption in the established IBD biologics market

This project is currently in grant preparation with the European Commission.

This project contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 9.

• Ambiotis SAS, FR
• Karolinska Institutet, SE