Daily Mail (UK) has the story:
The vaccine jab for kitty that could cure your allergy to cats: Injection targets protein in pet’s saliva, urine and sweat that is most common cause
- ★ Sheffield-based Benchmark says its injection can ‘neutralise’ cat itself
- ★ It works by attacking a protein carried in cats’ saliva, urine and sweat
- ★ More than 725m people, about a tenth of the global population, are thought to be allergic to cats but options for alleviating the symptoms are limited
It works by attacking a protein carried in cats’ saliva, urine and sweat that is the most common cause of cat allergies.
More than 725m people, about a tenth of the global population, are thought to be allergic to cats but options for alleviating the symptoms are limited.
Sufferers can take anti-histamines or have regular injections designed to stimulate the body’s natural immune system.
Some websites recommend using air purifiers or even bathing your cat as often as possible, which can prove difficult if the animal doesn’t cooperate.
The new vaccine, dubbed HypoCat, works by attacking the Fel d 1 protein, the main allergen carried by cats and kittens.
Fel d 1, present in saliva, urine and sweat, is spread all over the cat’s fur when it licks itself clean.
The protein then attaches itself to cat dander, tiny particles of dry skin one tenth the size of a dust mite. As cats prowl their territory, they leave dander on surfaces such as bedding and sofas, wreaking havoc on allergy sufferers whose symptoms are triggered by the protein.
But Benchmark claims that HypoCat can ‘neutralise’ the Fel d 1 protein altogether, without harming the cat. It is spending up to £8million to commercialise research by Swiss firm HypoPet, based at the University of Zurich, in the hope of making HypoCat available through vets within three or four years.
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