The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology held its annual meeting in Los Angeles, California and the 2016 meeting included a presentation from Immune Design to present data on its GLAAS platform. The data highlighted the ability to use GLA for both pollen-based allergy treatments and peanut allergy treatments.
The AAAI meeting’s presentation showed that the synthetic molecule GLA (glucopyranosyl lipid adjuvant) will bind with receptors that cause activation of the allergic immune response called the Th1-type response. Using an antigen added to the GLA, injections can potentially reduce allergic responses by blocking these “allergy receptors.”
Originally developed for cancer treatment.
GLAAS was originally developed as a cancer treatment, research for which is ongoing. Immune Design is now broadening the use of GLAAS into allergy treatments by targeting pollen and peanut allergies with the method.
“These presentations add to the large and growing body of data supporting the potential of the GLAAS platform for the treatment of chronic diseases beyond cancer, where Immune Design is focused, including allergy,” said Jan ter Meulen, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Immune Design.
The company plans to continue testing and further trials of the protocols for allergy treatments.