Scientists receive £4.3 million for asthma prevention research

29 June 2009

Researchers at St George’s, University of London have been awarded £4.3 million by the Wellcome Trust for the development of a unique new class of drugs to target the root cause of asthma and allergies. The new Allergen Delivery Inhibitors may be superior to existing medicines, which mainly relieve symptoms.

The research team, led by Professor Clive Robinson, has identified novel drug-like chemical compounds that combat asthma and allergic diseases of the nose, eyes and skin.

Asthma and allergic conditions such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis and dermatitis are an escalating problem expected to affect more than 100 million people globally by 2011. In the UK, 5.2 million adults and 1.1 million children currently receive treatment for asthma, creating a significant social and healthcare burden for the NHS.

The Allergen Delivery Inhibitors being developed by Professor Robinson and his team target allergens excreted by dust mites, tiny creatures that live in the carpets and soft furnishings of homes, offices, trains, planes and cars. The development of Allergen Delivery Inhibitors is intended to provide relief to people with an established allergy caused by dust mites and potentially to prevent the development of allergic disease in others.

St George's is the hub of the programme and will develop a drug for clinical trials in the next few years. The team, which includes colleagues from the University of Manchester, will work with pharmaceutical research and development contractors worldwide to carry out this groundbreaking work.

This award comes from the Seeding Drug Discovery initiative, and follows more than £1 million of Wellcome Trust support for the programme since 2005.

Image: Dust mite. Credit: Wellcome Images.