New Research Could Cure Severe Allergies

Every day millions of Australians suffer from severe allergies including asthma and lethal allergies to medication, foods, insects and more. With many people relying heavily on daily medication just to breath and needing to constantly monitor their surrounds, diets, medicines and more.

 Finding a permanent solution to allergic reactions would not only help sufferers save money on expensive preventatives and treatments, it would also save countless lives lost to fatal anaphylaxis. The good news is, a lifelong cure for allergies looks to now be well on its way. Scientists at the University of Queensland have discovered a way to turn off the immune response responsible for an allergic reaction, with the researchers believing the treatment will be available in a simple injection within the next 10 years. So how does it work? 

Immune ‘Off Switch’

An allergic reaction occurs when a person comes in contact with a substance the body deems a risk, called an allergen. While there are common allergens such as nuts, pollen, shell fish and animal hair, each individual is different and can be allergic to a huge range of substances. The symptoms occur when immune cells, called T-cells, react to a specific protein the allergen.

These T-Cells form a type of memory that makes them resistant to treatment. The new treatment works by wiping the memory of the T-Cells using gene therapy. The T-Cells essentially forget to have an allergic reaction, and instead tolerate the allergen protein.

Developed by Immunologist Associate Professor Ray Steptoe and his team, the new gene therapy is highly targeted, and while it has shown to stop allergic reactions, the immune system still functions and performs vital responses necessary for the body’s protection. While the research has been successful, there is still a long way to go before it’s ready for public use.  

What’s the Next Step?

So far the research has been conducted using animal cells, so the next step is to replicate the findings in human cells. While the research is currently using an experimental asthma allergen, Dr Steptoe states that “this research could be applied to treat those who have severe allergies to peanuts, bee venom, shell fish and other substances.” With allergies at the very least causing discomfort and lifestyle limitations, and at their worst causing fatal anaphylactic reactions, this research is welcome news to millions of allergy sufferers.