The present invention features a novel combination therapy useful in the treatment of autoimmune disease that increases or maintains the number of functional cells of a predetermined type in a mammal by killing or inactivating autoimmune cells and re-educating the host immune system. The sensor can be made part of an optical interferometer which is characterized by splitting of an entering light beam and measurement of an optical phase shift caused by light traversing different paths. As a matter of fact, the compounds of the formula are useful, in therapy, in the treatment of diseases associated with a disregulated protein kinase activity, like cancer.