New asthma vaccine hope

Clinical trials are starting which could take scientists a step closer to finding a DNA vaccine for millions of people who suffer from asthma and other allergic diseases.

Southampton University has teamed up with a major American pharmaceutical company to test a new synthetic DNA-based compound that aims to tackle the underlying cause rather than the symptoms of the potentially fatal disease.

Twenty-four patients with allergic asthma attending clinics at Southampton General Hospital will take part in the phase two clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the new immunotherapy.

Dr Anthony Frew, of the university's internationally renowned asthma and allergy group, is leading the research. He says: 'Conventional drugs treat only the symptoms of asthma and other specific allergies.

'We are interested in a more general approach to tackling the underlying cause of all types of allergy. One way is to try to de-sensitise people by changing the way their immune system reacts to pollen, dust mite, cats and other allergens.

'The new therapy uses a synthetic DNA sequence normally found in bacterial cell walls which will, hopefully, stimulate the immune system

to react in a more normal protective way. This is the first clinical trial in allergic humans and will initially involve patients whose asthma is triggered by an allergic reaction to dust mites.'

There are more than 3.4 million asthma sufferers in the UK, including 1.5 million children aged two to 15 years. The Southampton research could lead to a larger multi-centre study and bring closer the development of an effective DNA vaccine.

Dr Frew adds: 'This is one piece of a large puzzle to find out whether vaccinating people with asthma is both safe and effective, but this must be the way forward.'

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