Austrian Allergy Cluster is Going International (April 21, 2009)

The launch of the “Christian Doppler Laboratory for the Development of Allergen Chips” at the Medical University of Vienna, led by Univ. Doz. Dr. Susanne Vrtala, is further strengthening the Austrian Allergy Cluster. Aim of the new CD Laboratory is to establish and refine allergen chips (microarrays) based on a comprehensive collection of defined recombinant allergen molecules and allergen-derived epitopes. These allergen chips will be used to search for marker epitopes, enabling identification of the disease-causing allergen sources in a much more accurate manner than conventional allergen extract-based tests – thus leading to more directed and effective therapies. Additionally, these tests will allow to monitor patients and to predict the course of allergic diseases (e.g. the development of severe manifestations like asthma). 

Biomay is already sole industrial partner of three existing CD Laboratories involved in allergy research (Prof. Rudolf Valenta, Prof. Fatima Ferreira and Doz. Barbara Bohle). The new laboratory is the first in which Biomay is joining forces with other industrial partners. “We are particularly pleased that Phadia is supporting the CD Laboratory” notes Max Bayerl, CEO of Biomay. Phadia, located in Uppsala, Sweden, is the world leader in allergy diagnostics, with a market share in excess of 75%. They in-licensed an allergen chip technology from VBC Genomics, in the early development stages of which Biomay also played a vital role. VBC Genomics, based at the Campus Vienna Biocenter, is the third industrial partner in the new CD Laboratory.

Apart from its main application in diagnostics, allergen chips will enable parallel assessment of allergen-specific antibody reactivity profiles and allergenic activity of individual molecules. The use of in vitro cellular assays and provocation testing will allow to discriminate highly allergenic molecules from less allergenic ones. Improving the identification of the most relevant molecules and epitopes will be a significant advantage for the design of vaccines and tolerance strategies for allergy – which is the main business of Biomay.

(Vienna, April 21, 2009) 

More information:

http://www.biomay.com/science-technology/partners-and-network/allergen-chips.html