AlerGenetica is a new health care biotechnology company dedicated to improving the quality of life of patients suffering from allergies to environmental fungi and longer term, for those with life-threatening invasive fungal infections.
Allergy starts with a person who has a susceptibility to develop allergy. Individuals vary in their sensitivity to different types of substances and the degree to which they have a reaction.
For fungal allergy, a person inhales small amounts of fungal spores into the respiratory tract. These spores release soluble proteins (some of which are allergens) which can be internalized by B-cells bearing IgE antibody on their surface thatreacts to a portion of a specific fungal allergen (B-cell epitopes).Free floating IgE can also bring allergens to other types of antigen-presenting cells.
Allergy treatment is one of the largest therapeutic markets worldwide, with estimated annual sales of $11 billion. (Laboratory Talk, 2006). Overall, approximately 20-30% of the population is allergic to one or more indoor allergens. Approximately 80% of children with asthma or nasal symptoms are allergic to indoor allergens. Asthma due to indoor allergens is an important clinical problem.
Most allergy treatments used today, such as anti-histamines, while very useful only temporarily treat the symptoms of allergy without curing the underlying cause which is a specific type of sensitization of the immune system to allergens. This sensitization is most characterized by the production of IgE antibodies to allergen components. Allergy symptoms can arise by interaction of the IgE antibodies during subsequent exposure to particular allergens.
