Allergic diseases
Overall, allergic diseases are among the major causes of illness and disability in the United States, affecting as many as 40 to 50 million Americans. An allergy is commonly described as an abnormal reaction of the body’s immune system to a foreign substance. Well-known and -characterized allergens include pollen, dust mite feces, mold spores, pet dander, specific food components, insect venom or medicines. As symptoms vary, an allergic reaction may result in a runny nose, sneezing and coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, itching, rashes, swelling and chest tightness. A severe allergic reaction, anaphylaxis, can be life-threatening.
Etiology
The precise etiology of allergies is still under debate. There is a genetic predisposition to certain allergies, but many other associated risk factors have also been found. These include environmental elements, exposure to allergens, and more hypothetical presumptions such as infant feeding habits and early-in-life exposure.
Standard Care
Treatment of allergies such as asthma and rhinitis initially focuses on avoiding or reducing exposure to the specific allergen. Standard pharmacological care can additionally include oral or inhalation therapy with drugs that block or counteract the action of allergic mediators (steroids/bronchodilators/cromolyn/Leucotrine antagonists). These drugs alleviate the symptoms of allergy but are only moderately effective. Immunotherapy, in which the patient is gradually vaccinated with progressively larger doses of the allergen, can reduce or eliminate hypersensitivity to that allergen.
A recently approved and effective approach is the injection of monoclonal anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, which bind to a critical modulator of the allergic reaction and signal it for destruction. Besides the well-known drawbacks associated with injection of biopharmaceuticals, little is known about the long-term effectiveness of the antibodies and importantly, treatment can lower the natural defense against parasitic diseases.
ActoGeniX’s Solution
ActoGeniX is developing a range of ActoBiotics™ that deliver allergen-derived peptides to affect the immune system in the gut, activating the regulatory T cell compartment to induce a state of tolerance to the allergens. Initial efficacy data have been obtained in a number of preclinical models for allergic diseases, including a food allergy model.