Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy covers forms of treatment that involve therapeutic influencing of the immune system. As such, depending on the illness, therapies are implemented to induce, regulate, suppress or substitute an immune response.

Treatment to induce immune response

…should contribute to the strengthening of a normal or weakened immune system. Examples of this are:

• active immunisation
• the use of immunostimulants to activate a weakened immune system, for example the use of non-specific active immunotherapy for patients with tumours

Treatment to suppress immune response

…suppresses overactive immune response by means of pharmacological or biomedical substances, for example

• for autoimmune diseases
• following organ transplants
• for allergies

Treatment to substitute immune response

… increases immune function by means of the adoptive transfer of active immune cells or molecules, for example with reference to:

• passive immunisation with antibodies (tetanus, botulism, Rh disease etc.)
• monoclonal antibody treatment
• specific tumour therapy with T cells, immunotoxins and antibodies
• cell therapy for infectious diseases

Treatment to regulate immune response

… inhibits inflammatory activity in the immune system and supports the natural balance of immune response, for example with reference to

• hyposensitisation for allergies