The Colton Center for Autoimmunity at Yale FY26
Advancing innovative and translational research in autoimmune and allergic diseases.
When we funded David Spiegel's work on degrading autoreactive antibodies, it was an early-stage idea. Seeing that science now in Phase 1 trials as BHV-1600 is exactly why the Colton Center exists, to move discoveries from the bench toward patients who need them. —Makoto Yoshioka, Director of CCAY
The Colton Center for Autoimmunity at Yale: Year in Review
Since its launch in 2020, the Colton Center for Autoimmunity at Yale (CCAY) has disbursed $5.9M across 57 grants, supporting 59 investigators from 25 departments and divisions across Yale. In FY2027, CCAY committed $800K to nine new translational research to develop therapeutics, diagnostics, tolerogenic vaccines, and platform technologies, and to gain biological insight into complex disease mechanisms .
This year, those investments paid off. Two companies closed Series A rounds and two new ventures launched, including CellType, Inc., which joined Y Combinator. Awardees secured one patent, seven patent applications, and one provisional; published 31 articles, a third in journals with impact factors above 20; and drew more than $15M in federal grants, $2.2M from nonprofits, and $9.8M from corporate partners.
HIGHLIGHTS: FY 2026
9
Projects
$975,000
Awarded
LIFETIME: 2017 - 2027
58
Total Awards
$5.94M
Awarded
16
Patent Fillings
5
Yale Spinouts Supported
The clearest proof came at the bench-to-bedside line. David Spiegel's Colton project on selectively sequestering and degrading disease-causing antibodies became the foundation for BHV-1600, a molecule engineered to clear the autoreactive antibodies that drive peripartum cardiomyopathy. Biohaven Pharmaceuticals (New Haven, CT) is now testing it in Phase 1 trials, with early results showing it safe and well tolerated.
In May, CCAY hosted its third Technology Showcase in Immunology and Autoimmunity during the Yale Innovation Summit, the Northeast's largest entrepreneurship symposium, which drew over 2,600 innovators, investors, and industry professionals this year. Nine groups from NYU, Penn, Tel Aviv, and Yale presented, cementing the showcase as a fixture of the Summit. CCAY also trained 6 Colton Associates — graduate, medical, and postdoctoral students — building toward careers as scientist-entrepreneurs by evaluating award proposals and running the showcase.
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About the Colton Consortium
Our benefactors, Judith and Stewart Colton’s extraordinary generosity has catalyzed the creation of the Colton Consortium: The Colton Consortium—a partnership among the four Colton Centers at leading institutions including Penn, Yale, NYU, and Tel Aviv University—is a global initiative committed to transforming the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and eventual cure of autoimmune disorders.
The mission of the Colton Consortium is to apply bold, collaborative, translational science to advance our mechanistic understanding of human autoimmunity. By engaging the most innovative scientists and physicians, the Consortium is committed to transforming discovery science, personalizing existing and novel therapies, and leveraging cutting-edge technology to better treat, cure, and prevent autoimmunity while improving patients’ health.
To learn more, visit the Colton Consortium.