The end of coughing and red eyes?

A doctoral student at the Hebrew University developed a new method for treating allergies and asthma

Similar to a cold or asthma, modern medicine has not yet succeeded in curing allergies. A doctoral student from the School of Pharmacy at the Hebrew University has developed a new method that offers hope of getting rid of them.

For the development, the doctoral student Ido Betzlet recently received the Bernholz Award for creativity and originality in applied research, as part of the 70th session of the Board of Trustees of the Hebrew University.

Ido Betzelat is Chilean by origin and a relative of the president of Chile Michelle Betzelat. He carried out the research under the guidance of Prof. Francesca Levy-Shafer from the Department of Pharmacology at the School of Medicine at the Hebrew University. His research focuses on the mechanism that regulates the function of 'bad' cells that trigger allergic reactions and are called 'mast cells'. Mast cells exposed to allergens react violently and release many pro-inflammatory substances, such as histamine. These substances cause symptoms such as a runny nose, rash, shortness of breath up to fatal shock (in response to medicine, food or a bite). After that, they attract inflammatory cells that maintain the allergic reaction which sometimes turns into a chronic disease.

Allergies are usually not seen as fatal, but reality proves otherwise. In 2005, more than a quarter of a million people worldwide died from asthma. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the death rate will increase by 20% in the next decade if emergency measures are not taken. Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children.

Ido Bazalat identified a new receptor protein known as CD300a which prevents mast cells from releasing allergic reactions. Unfortunately, the protein is widespread in the immune system and not just in mast cells. A simple attempt to reach it may damage the immune system and suppress it.

To overcome the problem, Ido Bazalat and his research colleague Ariel Munitz created a synthetic antibody with the extraordinary ability to recognize two targets at the same time, the receptor protein CD300a and the mast cell. The antibody targets the protein found on the surface of the mast cell, thus preventing suppression of other immune cells. In the experiment carried out, the antibody was able to eliminate four types of allergic diseases in mice. Moreover, mice suffering from chronic asthma received the antibody in nasal drops and recovered completely in less than two months.

This pioneering project called RECEPTRA presents an innovative therapeutic strategy for chronic and severe allergic diseases. These days the Research and Development Company of the Hebrew University is handling the application of a license to pharmaceutical companies for further development and conducting clinical trials.

Based on the enormous potential of the project, viewers testified to Bazalat and his team that in the near future their technology will be at the forefront of allergy treatment.