Thymosin Alpha-1 Immunotherapy ​
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Thymosin Alpha-1 (Tα1) is a naturally occurring peptide isolated from the thymus gland. The thymus gland is responsible for training the immune cells in the very early stages of life and tends to shrink as we get older. Since its discovery in 1977 by Dr. Allan Goldstein, Tα1 has been extensively studied for its potential in cancer therapy and in medical conditions that require immunomodulation and immune boosting. Tα1 has demonstrated its ability to optimise the immune system making it especially valuable in diseases where a dysregulated immune system plays a central role or in conditions where enhancing the immune system is desirable.
For more in-depth discussion of Thymosin Alpha-1 please click here.
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Mechanisms of Thymosin Alpha-1
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1. Enhancement of T-cell Function
T-cells are crucial to the adaptive immune response, which provides long-lasting immunity by recognizing specific pathogens or abnormal cells. Tα1 enhances T-cell function by stimulating the production of certain cytokines, like interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), which help T-cells proliferate and attack infected or cancerous cells. Tα1 can also increase the activity of regulatory T-cells (Tregs), which are responsible for suppressing immune responses that could otherwise lead to autoimmune disorders.
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2. Boosting Innate Immunity
Tα1 strengthens the body's "innate" immunity—the first line of defence against infections. It activates dendritic cells, enhances the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells, and improves macrophage function. These cells are essential for initiating immune responses and attacking pathogens or tumor cells before the "adaptive" immune system is fully activated.
3. Immune System Regulation
In conditions where the immune system becomes overactive, as in autoimmune diseases, Tα1 can downregulate excessive inflammatory responses. It achieves this by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) while promoting the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. This makes Tα1 a dual-purpose therapeutic, capable of enhancing immune responses when needed and down-regulating them when they are too intense or harmful.
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Thymosin Alpha-1 applications
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1- Complementary Oncology: ​
Thymosin Alpha-1’s role in cancer therapy revolves around its ability to modulate the immune system. tumours often evade immune detection through various mechanisms, including the suppression of T-cells and the creation of an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment. Multiple studies have shown promising results for the use of thymosin alpha 1 in patients with metastatic melanoma, head and neck carcinoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Thymosin Alpha-1 works through several mechanisms including: Enhancing T-cell Activity, promoting the differentiation and maturation of dendritic cells thus ensuring that tumour cells are more effectively recognised and targeted by the immune system, Modulating the Tumor Microenvironment and activating Natural Killer (NK) Cells that play a prominent role in tumor control
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2. Viral Infections
Viral infections often challenge the immune system, and in many cases, immunosuppression allows viruses to persist or cause chronic disease. Thymosin Alpha-1 has been shown to enhance antiviral immunity, particularly by improving T-cell responses and promoting the production of antiviral cytokines. Tα1 has been used as an adjunctive therapy to antiviral agents in both Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) infections and HIV, showing promising results in enhancing immune responses, reducing viral load. It has also been used in acute COVID infection ​​
3. Long COVID
Thymosin Alpha-1 may help alleviate long COVID symptoms by addressing underlying immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation. Tα1’s ability to modulate the immune system can help restore balance by promoting regulatory T-cells (Tregs), which suppress excessive immune activity and control chronic inflammation. By enhancing Treg activity, Tα1 can prevent the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are believed to contribute to the symptoms of long COVID. Thymosin Alpha-1 has also been shown to downregulate inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β. By reducing these inflammatory markers, Tα1 may help alleviate symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, and other inflammation-related manifestations of long COVID.
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COVID-19 can lead to immune exhaustion, where T-cells become less effective at responding to infections or maintaining immune surveillance. This immune exhaustion can persist into the long COVID phase, leaving individuals vulnerable to other infections or reactivation of latent viruses like Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and or human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6). Thymosin Alpha-1 enhances T-cell function, promotes the proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells, and boosts the activity of natural killer (NK) cells. By doing so, Tα1 may help prevent or mitigate viral reactivation in patients suffering from long COVID, potentially reducing symptoms like fatigue and malaise and aid recovery.
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4. Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues, leading to chronic inflammation and tissue damage. Thymosin Alpha-1's ability to regulate immune responses has made it a candidate for treating several autoimmune diseases. For example: Thymosin Alpha-1 has been studied in animal models of MS and has shown potential to reduce the autoimmune attack on myelin while enhancing T regulatory activity, which helps suppress the autoimmune response. It has also been studied in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) where it has shown promise in reducing joint inflammation and preventing further immune attacks on joint tissues.
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Safety & Side Effects
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Thymosin Alpha-1 has a favourable safety profile. In clinical trials, Tα1 has been well-tolerated with few serious side effects. The most common adverse events are mild and include injection site reactions, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms. Its low toxicity makes Tα1 particularly attractive as an adjuvant therapy in cancer,​​​​
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Dose& monitoring
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Thymosin Alpha-1 is available as injection under the skin that can be injected in clinic. The dose is 1.6 mg usually twice a week. Regular blood tests need to be carried out to evaluate response and side effects. The monitoring intensity is highly variable dependant on the clinical situation.
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prices & Bookings
Price: Thymosin Alpha 1.6 mg subcutaneous injection (under the skin) costs £100/injection. Requires an initial functional consultation. After the initial consultation, the patient is required to attend twice a week to receive the injection in the clinic. Monitoring blood tests will be discussed and agreed in advance, we can arrange these or you can arrange your own.
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Thymosin Alpha-1 is also part of the "Oncology Package". Please check the pricing section for details of the oncology package.
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Booking: Please book a consultation first. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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