Guest Author - Amy Anaruk

For the week ending June 30, 2007.

Ph.D. Student Develops Powerful New RECEPTRA Technique to Fight Allergies

Ido Bachelet, a Ph.D. student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, recently developed a new technology with great potential for allergy and asthma sufferers. Bachelet designed a synthetic antibody that targets a receptor protein on mast cells. This receptor, CD300a, stops mast cells from producing the allergic response.

Mice treated with the antibody overcame 4 different types of allergies, and mice with severe, chronic asthma showed a reversal of symptoms in less than 2 months.

Hebrew University is now licensing RECEPTRA to pharmaceutical companies for development and future clinical trials.

Bachelet and the other researchers on the project expect the technique to become the primary treatment for allergies after further development

(Adapted from a Hebrew University of Jerusalem press release)

Symbicort pMDI Now Available in the U.S.

Asthma patients in the United States who are 12 years and older have a new choice in maintenance medicine. Symbicort combines an inhaled corticosteroid (budesonide) and a long-acting beta-agonist (formoterol) for long-term treatment.

Produced by AstraZeneca, Symbicort is similar to Advair and has been available in Europe but not the U.S. until now. According to AstraZeneca, Symbiocort starts to work within 15 minutes of use. Both medicines are for controller, not emergency, use.

While both inhalers serve the same purpose, there may be a small difference in price between the two. Check with your physician, pharmacy, and insurance company to see if switching might save you a few dollars.


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"Smile, breathe and go slowly." -Thich Nhat Hanh



This article is not written by a medical professional, and information on this page should never be substituted for your physcian’s advice. If you have any questions about your asthma and/or allergies, you should always contact your physician first.