IgGenix — a biotechnology company headquartered in South San Francisco — has developed a platform they call SeqSifter™ which allows them to isolate and study single cells and sequence their RNA.
Presenting at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) conference in Prague this weekend, the company demonstrated the utility of their platform by presenting a study where they isolated B-cells and re-engineered IgE antibodies as IgG antibodies to block the reactive molecules underlying allergic disease.
By studying monoclonal antibodies from individuals with tree nut allergies, they showed how those antibodies were cross-reactive to a number of tree nut allergens, confirming at a molecular level why individuals allergic to tree nuts often have co-allergies, such as cashew/pistachio and pecan/walnut.
With this new platform, the company is aiming at more targeted therapeutic approaches for patients that have the potential to address key allergens directly with better safety than allergen-oriented approaches and a quicker onset of action.
Said Derek Croote, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer of the company:
These insights provide a molecular basis for clinical co-allergy to multiple tree nuts and provide an encouraging beginning for developing therapeutics to target the key allergens driving tree nut allergy.
At IgGenix, we are developing a novel approach to treating allergic disease. These data are the potential basis for treatments that may block and prevent life-threatening allergic reactions.
