New vaccine against hay fever successfully tested

New vaccine could revolutionize hay fever therapy

Millions of people suffer from hay fever and so far there are only a few approaches that actually allow a cure or long-term relief of the symptoms. The so-called hyposensitization is a well-known method here, which, however, is relatively time-consuming. For the first time, scientists have successfully tested a hay fever vaccine designed to provide long-term relief from the symptoms.

The research team of the MedUni Vienna at the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, in cooperation with the Viennese company Biomay AG, demonstrated in a phase II-b study with 180 patients "that the synthetically produced BM32 vaccine with four injections in the first year and a refresher in the first year the second year of treatment alleviates the symptoms of those affected by at least 25 percent, "according to the latest communication from MedUni Vienna. This is an important step in the development of effective hay fever therapy. The study results were published in the journal "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology".

400 million people with pollen allergy

According to the researchers, around 400 million people around the world are somehow suffering from pollen allergy. The typical symptoms are, among other things, itching, runny nose, coughing and severe breathing problems. Those affected are significantly limited in their daily life during the pollen season and many are dependent on the regular intake of medication for symptom relief.

Newly developed vaccine

A new approach to the treatment of hay fever is now the proven immunotherapy with BM32. According to the MedUni Vienna, it is "based on an innovative, recombinant peptide carrier technology." Compared with other immunotherapies, considerably fewer injections are required and fewer side effects are detectable , The underlying technology was developed at the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Allergy Research under the direction of Rudolf Valenta from MedUni Vienna in cooperation with the Viennese company Biomay AG, which specializes in the discovery and development of novel allergy therapeutics.

Synthetic preparation of the vaccine
According to the scientists, the vaccine used and the necessary antibodies can be synthesized by using a new technology to remove B-cell-reactive peptides from the allergen and then modify them. The peptides are adapted in such a way that "they lose their binding properties for allergen-specific IgE and serve as carrier proteins for the necessary support by the T cells," reports the MedUni Vienna. This process is infinitely repeatable and the vaccine always remains equally effective, always of equal quality and safe, the researchers emphasize.

Also preventive use possible?

In the two-year study period, the vaccine achieved an improvement in symptoms by about 25 percent on average, the scientists report. "The more the allergic person was affected by the grass pollen, the stronger the positive effect after the vaccination," said the first author of the study Verena Niederberger-Leppin from the University of Vienna's Department of Otorhinolaryngology. The researchers also assume that the symptoms will decrease even further if the vaccine is refreshed over the years over and over again. Possibly the vaccine could also be used preventively.

Approval as a vaccine planned for 2021

The scientists are already planning a subsequent Phase III study and a concurrent vaccine trial in children, in compliance with all guidelines from 2019, to create the conditions for the general approval of the vaccine from 2021 onwards. "This is a Viennese product that will revolutionize the treatment of grass pollen allergies"; this is the conclusion of the study director Valenta. As part of their research on the efficacy of BM32, the researchers also found that the Hepatitis B vaccine could also be an effective treatment option and also useful for asthma relief. Other potential uses of BM32 include the treatment of house dust mite allergies, cats and ragweed pollen, the researchers report. (Fp)