Preliminary experimental and clinical results with inactivated allergens conjugated to the Corynebacterium granulosum-derived immunomodulator P40.

Allergoids have been used successfully for immunotherapy of allergic disorders. It has appeared to us that the effect of allergoids could be potentiated by their coupling to an immunomodulator. In the present study we show that a conjugate made up of the coupling of ovalbumin through glutaraldehyde action to the C. granulosum-derived immunomodulator P40 is completely devoid of antigenicity and of cross-reactivity with ovalbumin. This conjugate was found to significantly inhibit mast cell degranulation. It also proved to be capable of protecting against the lethal systemic anaphylactic shock sensitized mice. Immunotherapy was performed in patients hypersensitive to either the pollen of Dactylis glomerata or to the house dustmite allergens using the conjugates made of the specific allergens and of the P40. Clinical improvement was observed in a significant percentage of the patients subjected to immunotherapy. Administration of the conjugates did not result in untoward reactions in any of the patients.