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Recent
Patents on Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery
ISSN: 1872-213X
Upcoming Articles
Patenting on Non Oral Anti-Allergic Drug
Viroj Wiwanitkit
[Abstract]
Food Allergy: From the of Loss of Tolerance Induced
by Exclusion Diets to Specific Oral Tolerance Induction
Egidio Barbi, Irene Berti and Giorgio Longo
[Abstract]
The Potential of Allergen Biochips
Stefan Wöhrl
[Abstract]
Antileukotriene Treatment in Children with Asthma
- New Patents
Stelmach Iwona and Grzelewski Tomasz
[Abstract]
Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis
Alexander K.C. Leung and Kam-lun E. Hon
[Abstract]
Novel Formulations for Oral Allergen Vaccination
Natalija Polovic and Tanja Cirkovic Velickovic
[Abstract]
Heme Oxygenase-1 and Carbon Monoxide: Emerging Therapeutic
Targets in Inflammation and Allergy
Hyun-Ock Pae, Yong Chul Lee and Hun-Taeg Chung
[Abstract]
Omalizumab: Not Only For Asthma
Moshe Ben-Shoshan
[Abstract]
Skin Homing and Recruitment of Leukocytes in Allergic
Contact Dermatitis
Slaheddine Marrakchi and Hamida Turki
[Abstract]
Treatment of Hereditary Angioedema: Current Perspectives
Svetlana I. Krassilnikova, Yuriy S. Nikiforov and Timothy
J. Craig
[Abstract]
Abstracts
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Patenting on Non Oral Anti-Allergic Drug
Viroj Wiwanitkit
Allergic symptoms usually disturb daily activity of affected
subjects. Anti-allergic drug is a specific group of drug designed
for allergic symptoms. There are many anti-allergic drugs
in use. In addition to oral anti-allergic drugs, there are
also non oral anti-allergic drugs. Those forms of anti-allergic
drugs are developed expecting for the rapid pharmacological
reaction. In this article, the author will briefly review
on the patents on non oral anti-allergic drug.
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Food Allergy: From the of Loss of Tolerance Induced
by Exclusion Diets to Specific Oral Tolerance Induction
Egidio Barbi, Irene Berti and Giorgio Longo
The prevalence of food allergy and anaphylaxis in children
is reported to be increasing in recent years. Evidence suggests
that exposure to large doses of antigen might produce a suppression
of the specific IgE response, so that the continuous contact
with high doses of antigens favours the maintenance of tolerance
In the same way loss of contact with allergen in children
with specific IgE reactivity may favour a loss of tolerance
with development of systemic reactions, while a progressive
new contact with allergen may favour a specific tolerance
induction. We hypothesize that widespread and uncontrolled
use of elimination diets for atopic dermatitis may have played
a role in the increase of allergy and anaphylaxis. Specific
oral tolerance induction may be a possible therapeutic strategy.
The article review food allergies caused by exclusion diet
and also discuss recent patents related to the field.
[Back to top]
The Potential of Allergen Biochips
Stefan Wöhrl
Immediate-type allergies (type I) allergies to environmental
allergens such as plant pollen, pet dander, food, honeybees’
and wasps’ venom affect around a third of the total
population in developed countries. The diseases comprise a
broad spectrum from rather mild diseases such as hay fever
and skin reactions like urticaria to severe ones such as bronchial
asthma, vomiting and diarrhea and finally anaphylactic shock.
Type I allergies are caused by an errant immune response leading
to the production of allergen-specific IgE.
The usual algorithm for the diagnosis of type I allergies
begins with obtaining a detailed patient history and continues
with the confirmation by skin tests and/or in vitro measurement
of IgE. Allergen biochips are a promising new technology for
the in vitro measurement of specific IgE in type-I allergic
patients. In contrast to conventional in vitro tools, they
consist of multiple allergen components spotted onto a microarray.
This allows to perform multiple analyses in a single measurement
analysing patient-specific sensitisation patterns, the so
called “component resolved diagnosis”. This review
considers prospects and difficulties with this new technology
and also reviews patents related to this field.
[Back to top]
Antileukotriene Treatment in Children with Asthma
- New Patents
Stelmach Iwona and Grzelewski Tomasz
Leukotrienes, and especially cysteinyl leukotrienes have
been shown to be involved in many processes that play a role
in asthma pathophysiology: eosinophil recruitment, the most
characteristic processes of asthma pathogenesis, increased
mucosal secretion, which impairs the normal process of airway
clearance and favors the development of mucus plugs, mucosal
edema, caused by increased vascular permeability and bronchoconstriction,
leading to smooth muscle hypertrophy. Latest progress in the
understanding of chronic asthma pathology events underline
the leukotriene synthesis pathway enzymes and different leukotriene
receptors as potential targets of asthma treatment in children.
Agents inhibiting the production of leukotrienes or agents
antagonising their receptor’s action, attract attention.
Studies on molecular mechanisms of leukotrienes action have
led to the development and patents of potential drugs including
new 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors, 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein
(FLAP) inhibitors, leukotriene B4 receptor antagonists, or
nanoparticulate leukotriene receptor antagonist formulations.
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Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis
Alexander K.C. Leung and Kam-lun E. Hon
Seasonal allergic rhinitis is characterized by seasonal
rhinorrhea, nasal congestion/stuffiness, nasal and ocular
pruritus, and paroxysmal sneezing. Symptomatic relief and
improved quality of life can be achieved in the majority of
patients by using pharmacotherapy appropriately. Mild cases
can be managed with either an oral antihistamine or a nasal
corticosteroid alone. More severe cases may require a nasal
corticosteroid in combination with various agents. Immunotherapy
is reserved for a selected group of patients. While all other
interventions provide symptomatic relief, specific immunotherapy
may have long-term effects. This review article also discuss
recent patents related to the field.
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Novel Formulations for Oral Allergen Vaccination
Natalija Polovic and Tanja Cirkovic Velickovic
Allergen specific immunotherapy, comprised of subcutanoues
injections of increasing doses of allergen extracts, has been
shown to be the only treatment able to influence the natural
progression of allergic disease.
Different forms of local immunotherapies, involving oral,
sublingual and nasal routes of allergen adminstration, have
also been considered in clinical practice. The inability of
the protein to survive gastrointestinal physiological barriers
is a generally encountered problem in oral administration
of protein drugs.
In order to overcome the problems of low allergen bioavailability
and absorptivity, during oral immunotherapy, several stabilization
strategies have been outlined in the recent years. This review
focuses on interventions including: hexose monosaccharide,
ethyl alcohol and water vehicles, oxygen-containing metal
salt based preparations, particles with enteric coating, and
poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid microspheres.
Regarding the enormous potential of oral responsiveness and/or
oral tolerance, research that focuses on new and improved
carriers or vehicles for safe allergen oral delivery has great
potential in treating allergic diseases. This article also
review some of the recent patent related to the field.
[Back to top]
Heme Oxygenase-1 and Carbon Monoxide: Emerging Therapeutic
Targets in Inflammation and Allergy
Hyun-Ock Pae, Yong Chul Lee and Hun-Taeg Chung
Cumulative evidence suggests that the induction of the antioxidant/anti-inflammatory
heme oxygenase (HO)-1 may play a protective role in allergic
inflammation. HO-1 suppresses mast cell degranulation and
cytokine synthesis. The up-regulation of the HO-1 pathway
has a significant protective effect against airway inflammation,
mucus hyper-secretion, and hyper-responsiveness in a model
of allergic asthma. Moreover, HO-1 inhibits T cell-dependent
skin inflammation and differentiation and function of antigen-presenting
cells. The precise underlying mechanisms for HO-1-based protection
against allergic inflammation are not yet completely understood,
but appear to involve the protective effects of HO-1 by-products,
such as carbon monoxide (CO), biliverdin/bilirubin and free
iron. Among the HO-1 by-products, CO has been shown to mimic
some protective actions of HO-1 in allergic inflammations.
This article reviews the latest knowledge, recent patent and
studies on the protective roles and mechanisms of HO-1/CO
in inflammation and allergy.
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Omalizumab: Not Only For Asthma
Moshe Ben-Shoshan
Omalizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody.
Use of omalizumab is reported to benefit significantly patients
with inadequately controlled moderate-to-severe persistent
allergic asthma that is not controlled with high-dose inhaled
corticosteroids.
However, recent studies suggest that omalizumab might play
an important role in the treatment of other potentially IgE
mediated disease processes including: urticaria and angioedema,
atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, nasal polyposis and
severe ocular allergies. Furthermore, addition of omalizumab
to immunotherapy protocols is reported to be highly advantageous.
Although omalizumab is generally well tolerated, reports on
potential anaphylactic reactions as well as an association
with Churg-Strauss syndrome necessitate close monitoring.
The data reviewed are discussed with the aim of underlining
unmet needs and making recommendations for future studies
on omalizumab use. This might better guide future clinical
practice regarding omalizumab treatment. This review article
also discussed some patent related to the field.
[Back to top]
Skin Homing and Recruitment of Leukocytes in Allergic Contact
Dermatitis
Slaheddine Marrakchi and Hamida Turki
Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common skin disorder
that has a high socio-economic impact with regard to the increasing
number of industrial allergens that has potential harmful
effect on the skin of manual workers. Its management relies
on the use of topical anti-inflammatory drugs as well as the
avoidance of the allergens inducing the disease. However with
regard to the ubiquitous character of many chemicals in the
environment, treatment of the disease remains unsatisfactory.
Understanding the molecular basis of the disease is of major
importance in prospect of designing new therapeutic modalities.
In this article, the various stages of the disease are reviewed
as well as the recent advances in the understanding of the
molecular basis of the mechanisms of the disease that would
help to conceive new concepts for drug intervention. The article
also reviews some of the recent patent relevant to the field.
[Back to top]
Treatment of Hereditary Angioedema: Current Perspectives
Svetlana I. Krassilnikova, Yuriy S. Nikiforov and Timothy
J. Craig
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare familial disease
characterized by recurrent self-limiting episodes of soft
tissue swelling affecting different parts of the body. Acute
HAE attacks range from benign, but disfiguring skin edema,
to painful abdominal, and even life-threatening laryngeal
attacks. The disease is caused by an aberrant C1 esterase
inhibitor (C1-INH), which regulates complement, fibrinolytic,
and contact pathways. Elevated serum level of bradykinin as
a result of contact pathway activation is thought to be the
major mediator of pain and edema formation in HAE.
Current therapy of acute HAE attacks is limited and mainly
offers symptom control. In the United States only fresh frozen
plasma provides some reconstitution of C1-INH, but the efficacy
and safety of this treatment is controversial. In some European
countries two human derived C1-INH concentrates have been
used successfully. Prophylactic therapy for patients with
frequent HAE attacks is confined to attenuated androgens and
in some countries anti-fibrinolytics and C1-INH are also used.
To satisfy the unmet needs, investigation of one recombinant
C1-INH, two drugs working on bradykinin pathway and two human
derived C1-INH concentrates are underway. This review article
also discusses some recent patents related to the filed.
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