8-23 英国科学家研制防过敏新药物

日期：2006-08-23　　访问次数：3481

英国科学家宣称，在未来5年内，诸如哮喘、湿疹和干草热这样的敏感症将有可能被消除，而这完全归功于他们在这一领域的开创性工作。曼彻斯特大学和伦敦大学乔治学院的研究人员，如今正在共同研制一种能阻止过敏源侵入人体的药物，从而使过敏源不再危害人类健康。

据英国媒体报道，曼彻斯特大学教授David Garrod和伦敦大学乔治学院的Clive Robinson博士共同从事这项研究工作。Garrod说，这项研究为敏感症的治疗和预防开辟了一条全新道路。目前此项研究成果已经被英国西北地区发展署列入年度生物科技工程奖项名单。

Garrod说：“该研究是基于他们早些时候的发现：过敏源——一种引起过敏的物质——是如何通过保护皮肤的表层细胞进入人体和肺气管的。”他说：“花粉或粉尘过敏源通过吸气进入人体，附着于具有保护作用的细胞之间的黏合物上，然后它们通过细胞之间的传递进入生物体组织内部，从而引起过敏反应。”

Garrod指出：“正在研发的这种新药物叫做过敏源传递抑制剂（ADIs），通过阻断过敏源穿透保护层细胞的能力，在过敏发生之前就阻断过敏反应。”他说：“新药的疗效将有可能全面预防过敏源，虽然严格的大扫除是公认的避免引起过敏反应的途径，但是过敏患者是活动的，扫除不能完全解决问题。”Garrod表示：“显然，服用ADIs要比严格的房间清扫好得多，而且还便于携带。”

Garrod来自曼彻斯特大学生命科学系，他说ADI药品很有前途，预计到2010年这种药物就可以进入临床试用。这种药物一旦研制成功，不仅可以治疗成年患者已发生的症状，也可以预防儿童过敏反应。

Garrod说：“目前还没有预防过敏反应的药物，现有的药物都不能在早期对付过敏源，只能缓解症状，所以发展ADIs将是抵抗过敏源反应的一个重大突破。”

这一项目的研究目前已经得到惠康信托基金45万英镑的资助，但是要进入临床试验阶段还需要300万英镑的资金。Garrod目前正在为这种药物下一个阶段的研究寻求赞助。据DataMonitor公司的市场研究预测，这种药物的潜在市场价值达到260亿美元。


英文原文：

Allergy Battle Could Be Won In Five Years, Says Scientist

Researchers, working with colleagues at St George's, University of London, are developing drugs designed to stop allergens from entering the body, so rendering them harmless.

Professor David Garrod said the research - recently shortlisted for the Northwest Regional Development Agency's Bionow Project of the Year - takes a completely new approach to the treatment and prevention of allergies.

"The technology is based on our earlier discovery of how allergens, the substances that cause allergy, enter the body through the surface layer of cells that protect the skin and the tubes of the lungs," he said.

"Allergens from pollen or house dust mites are inhaled and then dissolve the binding material between the cells that form these protective linings; they can then enter the body by passing between the cells to cause an allergic response.

"The drugs we are developing -- called Allergen Delivery Inhibitors (ADIs) - are designed to disable these allergens so they can no longer eat through the protective cell layer and block the allergic reaction before it occurs.

"The effect will be like avoiding allergens altogether. Removing carpets and rigorous cleaning of homes are established ways to avoid allergens, but they are only partially effective because their effects do not 'travel' with allergy sufferers.

"ADIs promise to be significantly better because taking a medicine is easier than rigorous housework and pills are portable."

Professor Garrod, who is based within Manchester's Faculty of Life Sciences, said work on the first ADI chemical was well advanced and potential drugs could enter clinical trials as early as 2010.

If successful, the drug would treat established symptoms already found in adult sufferers and, in due course, could be used to prevent allergies in children.

"Prevention of allergies has never before been possible," said Professor Garrod. "Current medicines don't act against the allergen at this early stage - they only ease the symptoms - so the development of these ADIs would be a major breakthrough in our fight against allergies."



摘自：科学时报