Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

A molecular breakthrough at the Institute of Food Research (IFR) in Norwich could lay the foundation for the world's first treatment of potentially lethal food allergies.

Currently there is no method to treat food allergy and the only way for sufferers to manage the problem is to avoid certain foods and make sure they have injectable adrenaline at hand.

Now scientists led by Dr Claudio Nicoletti have discovered a vital molecule for resistance to food allergy that offers a potential target for therapy.

Dr Nicoletti's team found that a molecule called Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is absent during allergic responses and he suggests that by delivering an allergen in the presence of IL-12, allergic reactions could be brought back under control.

"We have identified a molecule that is very important for the regulation of immune response and for the first time clearly represents a potential target for the therapy of allergy.

This is currently under investigation", said Dr Nicoletti.

Work is now being undertaken to see if it can prevent or suppress ongoing allergic reactions.