Allergen Immunotherapy Patient Classification by T Cell Reactivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current allergen immunotherapy methods are inefficient due to the 'dilution effect' of treating patients with similar symptoms from different allergens within the same family, leading to uneven treatment efficacy, as patients' allergenic profiles are not accurately accounted for, particularly for minor allergens which may be underrepresented or missing in standard extracts.
Innovation Solution
A method to classify allergic patients based on their T cell reactivity to specific allergens by measuring T cell stimulation indices, determining eligibility for treatment, and customizing allergen compositions by spiking with individual allergenic proteins to which patients are sensitized.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard allergen extracts are used for immunotherapy, then treatment coverage is broad, but treatment efficacy is uneven due to the dilution effect of mixing patients with different allergen profiles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the patient population based on their specific allergen profiles and sensitization patterns. By dividing patients into distinct groups according to their allergen reactivity (e.g., pollen-sensitive, food-sensitive, dust mite-sensitive), the treatment can be tailored to each segment's specific needs, eliminating the dilution effect of mixing heterogeneous patient groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by customizing the allergen composition for each patient based on their individual sensitization profile. Instead of using a uniform extract for all patients, the treatment composition is locally adapted to match each patient's specific allergen sensitivities, ensuring that the treatment contains the precise allergens to which that patient is sensitized.
2Measurement precision
If T cell reactivity screening is implemented to classify patients, then treatment precision is improved, but diagnostic complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the specific allergen components to which the patient is sensitized from the complex mixture of all possible allergens. By using T cell reactivity screening to identify and isolate the relevant allergens for each patient, the treatment composition is streamlined to contain only the necessary components, reducing complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses T cell reactivity screening as an intermediary tool to bridge the gap between patient symptoms and specific allergen identification. This intermediary diagnostic approach provides objective data about patient sensitization patterns, enabling precise classification and treatment customization without requiring complex clinical assessments.
3Productivity
If allergen immunotherapy is administered to all patients with similar symptoms, then patient volume is maximized, but response rates decrease due to the dilution effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary classification of patients based on T cell reactivity to specific allergens before administering immunotherapy. This preliminary action identifies eligible patients who are likely to respond to treatment, allowing the system to maximize productivity by treating only those patients who have a high probability of clinical improvement, rather than treating all patients with similar symptoms.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method of improving global response to allergen desensitization, by allergen immunotherapy, which includes classifying allergic patients as eligible to allergen immunotherapy based on the patients' allergen-specific T cell reactivity against the allergen.