Question:
Anyone know the status of an experimental feline allergy vaccine that
was being clinically tested a few years ago by some major
pharmaceutical makers as reported in the Wall Street Journal circa
1994? I've not been able to find anything about it on a WWW search.
As I recall, the vaccine works in traditional vaccine form by
injecting the patient with only part of a dead allergen versus the
whole, live allergen used in desensitization (injection) treatments.
The immune system responds with much faster recognition of the whole
allergen, reducing reactivity in as little as several weeks.
Answer:
Check out http://www.njc.org/MFhtml/AAN_MF.html the page on Animal
Allergies at Nat'l Jewish in Denver. This mentions keeping pets out of
bedroom, using air filter, etc. but does not directly answer your
question. You might try calling them at 800-222-LUNG. I read in the paper just yesterday about experimental trials of this
vaccine which seemed to yield promising results in as little as four
weeks. I think the article said they're now trying to get FDA
approval for larger-scale trials. (Wonder who I'd have to call to
get in on that. . .) The vaccine is being developed by a company called Immulogic. The
vaccine, Catvax works by immunising with a peptide that raises
antibodies against the allergen but does not cause allergy. Apparently
two antigenic sites are required for allergy (or something like that).
The first set of clinical trials have just been published but I
haven't been able to see them yet. I'll post a summary when I receive
it. The bottom line seems to be that the allergies do work at least
partly but there might be questions over side effects? If anyone has
any more info (come on Mr/Ms Immulogic employee) then please follow
up.
