mRNA Immunotherapy Shows Promise for Multiple Allergy Treatment

A novel immunotherapy platform offers a new therapeutic approach for individuals with allergies to multiple triggers, including foods, and pollens. Developed by researchers at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), in collaboration with the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Ibima-Plataforma Bionand (Málaga), and hospitals Vall d’Hebron and Clínic de Barcelona, the platform incorporates two key innovations: the design of a consensus allergen and the use of messenger RNA (mRNA) technology to deliver it.

According to results published in February 2026 in the journal Nature Communications, experiments conducted in animal models demonstrated that this immunotherapy was able to induce antibodies capable of recognizing and blocking allergens from various food and pollen sources. The therapy even surpassed the protection achieved with immunotherapy using individual, natural allergens. The treatment was found to be safe in the studied models, without causing adverse reactions during immunization.

A Platform for Patients with Multiple Sensitivities

The immunization platform utilizes a consensus allergen – an artificial protein representing the “average” structural characteristics of the entire family of allergens responsible for cross-reactivity. While this molecule doesn’t exist naturally, it contains the immunogenic elements common to the most relevant members of this family, allowing for an immune response against multiple sources with a single intervention.

To deliver this allergen, researchers employed mRNA technology, a similar approach to that used in COVID-19 vaccines. In this case, the mRNA acts as a “Trojan horse.” The body’s own cells synthesize the allergen in a controlled manner, triggering the immune system to mount an offensive against the molecules responsible for the allergy. This blocks their ability to trigger an allergic reaction and instead promotes a protective immune response.

Even in a model of severe allergy, treated animals still exhibited some symptoms upon allergen exposure. However, their immunological profile suggests that optimization of the formulation and route of administration could, in the future, lead to an effective therapeutic solution for these patients.

Allergy to Multiple Homologous Allergens

Allergy in individuals polysensitized to multiple homologous allergens affects more than seven million people in Europe alone. The immune system of people with this condition overreacts to generally harmless proteins, known as allergens. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, potentially leading to anaphylactic shock.

mRNA Delivers an Immune Response

Allergens are often structurally conserved proteins across different plant species. This can cause a person sensitized to one food to experience allergies to other foods or pollens through homologous allergens, even without prior contact. This is the case with non-specific lipid transfer protein syndrome (nsLTP), one of the most frequent food allergies in Southern Europe.

Currently, there is no simple treatment for these multiple allergies. Clinically, if the primary source of sensitization cannot be identified, it is generally recommended to avoid all implicated foods – a difficult strategy to maintain when numerous allergenic sources exist and accidental ingestion can lead to severe allergic reactions. The only option with long-term curative potential is classical immunotherapy, a lengthy process that doesn’t always guarantee complete protection and can cause adverse reactions during treatment, leading to a high abandonment rate.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Cincinnati Children’s also recently published findings in September 2025 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, detailing allergen-specific mRNA-lipid nanoparticle therapy for the prevention and treatment of experimental allergy in mice. This work, highlighted by Professor Erwin Loh on LinkedIn, demonstrated that the therapy modulates immune responses, reducing allergy symptoms while enhancing protective immunity.

The development of mRNA vaccines has expanded beyond infectious diseases and tumors to now include potential applications in allergy prevention. As noted in a manuscript published by the World Allergy Organization Journal, the feasibility and potential mechanisms of preventive allergen mRNA vaccines are being explored for preventing type I hypersensitivity reactions.

While these findings are promising, it’s important to remember that the research is still in its early stages. Further studies are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of this approach in humans. However, the potential to develop a single therapy that can address multiple allergies represents a significant step forward in the treatment of allergic diseases.

The ongoing research builds on the success of mRNA technology demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a new avenue for tackling the complex challenges of allergic conditions. Cancer patients who received a COVID vaccine also experienced longer survival rates, according to recent reports, further illustrating the potential of mRNA-based therapies to impact a range of health conditions.