(Krems, Vienna, 02-09-2025) A simple blood test could pave the way for personalised asthma therapy. Researchers at Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences (KL Krems) and the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Vienna) have developed a molecular allergy chip that reliably identifies allergic asthma. When used on participants in the LEAD study, it was found that over 70 per cent of people with asthma were sensitised to certain inhaled allergens. For this group of patients, allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is a proven and causal treatment option. The study was published in the journal "Allergy".
Asthma affects roughly 300 million people worldwide and ranks among the most burdensome chronic lung diseases. Despite substantial advances in medicine, most patients still receive uniform symptomatic treatment: inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators. In recent years, expensive biologics have been added for selected cases, raising concerns about the sustainability of asthma care. Yet for allergic asthma – the most common form – a well-established and cost-effective option exists: allergen-specific immunotherapy. What has been lacking is a practical, accurate way to identify who stands to benefit. The newly developed asthma chip offers exactly that.
Allergy Profile at a Glance
Developed by Huey-Jy Huang and colleagues at the Scientific Working Group Allergology and Immunology at KL Krems, in collaboration with MedUni Vienna and others, the chip contains 63 allergen molecules from key airborne sources such as pollens, dust mites, molds and animal dander. When tested with serum samples from 436 asthma patients in the LEAD study (Lung, hEart, sociAl, boDy), the chip identified specific IgE sensitizations in more than 70% of cases. These individuals had allergic asthma — and showed clinical characteristics that clearly distinguished them from non-allergic patients: younger age, better lung function, and less reliance on corticosteroids, despite fewer signs of inflammation.
"These results show that a large share of asthma adult patients has allergic asthma – and that we can identify them quickly and precisely," says Prof. Rudolf Valenta from the MedUni Vienna, head of the Scientific Working Group Allergology and Immunology at KL Krems and senior co-author of the study. "This is important because allergic asthma can be treated causally, not just symptomatically – using allergen-specific immunotherapy." AIT is a well-established approach in allergy medicine. It works by gradually desensitizing the immune system to the specific allergens causing symptoms. When based on precise diagnosis, it ca significantly reduce exacerbations and improve long-term outcomes.
Pure Results
Unlike conventional extract-based tests, the chip uses purified allergen molecules. This enables clear distinction between true sensitizations and cross-reactions – a key requirement for successful immunotherapy. The method supports individualised treatment decisions and could be particularly valuable in younger patients, where early intervention can alter the course of the disease.
With the prevalence of asthma rising and healthcare systems under financial pressure, tools that help allocate treatments more precisely are urgently needed. "We hope this diagnostic approach will find its way into routine clinical practice," says Valenta. "It could allow many patients to benefit from an effective, affordable form of immunotherapy – and help reduce unnecessary use of costly biologics." The study demonstrates how integrating molecular diagnostics into asthma care could help shift the current paradigm – from blanket symptom management to tailored, evidence-based strategies.
Publication: Allergy
Molecular IgE sensitization profiling with micro-arrayed allergen molecules in adult patients with asthma from the LEAD cohort: A precision medicine approach.
Huey-Jy Huang, Robab Breyer-Kohansal, Katarzyna Niespodziana, Charmaine J M Lim, Marie-Kathrin Breyer, Rudolf Valenta, Sylvia Hartl, Allergochip Working Group.
DOI: 10.1111/all.70017
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40884204/