Hypersensitivities investigative procedures

Extensive effort is ongoing to develop further and characterize the intranasal model. This includes continued mechanistic investigations on the IgE response potential of the model, characterization of respiratory and inflammatory pathophysiology, responsiveness to enzymes delivered in different product matrices, and responses to individual enzymes when delivered in combination with other enzymes. As these results are forthcoming, they will be compared with prior results obtained from GPIT studies and with human experience in our efforts to validate the model fully and establish it as an appropriate and useful procedure for prediction of the respiratory hypersensitivity potential of new enzymes. 

We have tested this method in investigating 18 patients with a known hypersensitivity to penicillin by clinical and laboratory criteria, and have compared it with other procedures, i.e., skin tests and penicillin RAST. Clinically, all the patients could be classified as showing type I reactions. Six patients were excluded from the study, owing to an insufficiant number of basophils, rendering the test not feasible. 

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