Researchers Confident About New Hay Fever Vaccine

Researchers at Imperial College London and King’s College London have announced a potential breakthrough in a new hay fever vaccine.

In tests, they have injected into a layer of skin on patients they think is a "hotline" to the immune system.

The researchers say their "targeted" approach could lead to a cheaper and more effective vaccine.

Allergy UK said it was a very exciting development.

Currently treatment for hay fever is largely through drugs such as antihistamines or steroids.

In very severe cases, tablets or injections of pollen under the skin can be given, which are then gradually increased over three years to boost tolerance to pollen. However, the treatment is expensive.

The research team are trying much shallower injections into a part of the skin packed with white blood cells, part of the immune system.

They argue their targeted approach means they can use tiny amounts of pollen - their dose is 2,000 times smaller than current injections - and also need fewer injections.

Speaking to the BBC, Dr Stephen Till said: "If this approach proves to be effective it would define a new scientific and clinical principle that could also be applied to other allergic diseases such as asthma and food allergies.

"This could be a pivotal study in immunological research."

(H)