Human Trials Of New Vaccine Technique Prove Promising For Allergy Sufferers.(Brief Article)

2001 APR 11 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) --

For years, efforts to develop improved vaccines for asthma and allergies have been thwarted because the vaccines themselves often cause the very symptoms a person is trying to avoid.

At the 57th Annual American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology's meeting held in March 2001, researchers at Johns Hopkins announced that a novel method of modifying an allergen, such as ragweed, by attaching a synthetic piece of DNA to it, is showing promise in initial clinical trials. The finding may lead to a more effective vaccine for treating allergic diseases such as hay fever or asthma.

"This initial study shows that the vaccine can produce IgG [immunoglobulin G] antibody; this is a signal that it provides immunity in humans," said Peter S. Creticos, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins. "And the vaccine had few side effects."

The vaccine was developed and produced by Dynavax Technologies Corporation in collaboration with Johns Hopkins and the University of California at San Diego.

The Hopkins Phase I safety trial was conducted in 20 volunteers with ragweed allergy. Individuals were randomly assigned to get a placebo or the vaccine injections, called AIC, in doses similar to those used in current allergy shot programs. The study team then measured levels of allergy-specific antibody production - IgG - an antibody formed by the body in fending off allergy to foreign proteins. Hopkins researchers have previously shown that production of IgG antibody is a clear predictor for likely clinical success with allergy shots.

"This study showed that AIC resulted in the production of an IgG antibody response similar to what one sees in conventional allergy shot therapy," said Creticos. "And none of the individuals experienced any serious adverse reactions." A few patients experienced mild reactions, such as itchy eyes, a flushing type sensation, or nasal congestion, but none of these required treatment with anything other than a simple antihistamine.