Agent for Treating Allergic or Hypersensitivity Condition

Abstract

The use of an agent in the manufacture of a medicament to affect an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition is described. The agent is capable of modulating a ganglioside associated activity. The agent is not coupled to an antigen. The modulation of the ganglioside associated activity affects an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . The use of an agent in the manufacture of a medicament to affect an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition;
 wherein the agent is capable of modulating a ganglioside associated activity;   wherein the agent is not coupled to an antigen; and   wherein the modulation of the ganglioside associated activity affects an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition.   
     
     
         2 . The use of an agent in the manufacture of a medicament to affect an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition;
 wherein the agent is capable of modulating a GM1 associated activity;   wherein the agent is not coupled to an antigen; and   wherein the modulation of the GM1 associated activity affects an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition.   
     
     
         3 . The use of an agent according to  claim 1 , wherein the agent is capable of blocking an IgE mediated response. 
     
     
         4 . An assay method for identifying an agent according to  claim 1  that is capable of affecting an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition; wherein the assay method comprises: (a) contacting an agent with a ganglioside receptor; (b) determining whether the agent modulates a ganglioside associated activity; such that the modulation of the ganglioside associated activity is indicative that the agent may be capable of affecting an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition; and wherein the agent is not coupled to an antigen. 
     
     
         5 . An assay method according to  claim 4 , wherein the assay is to screen for an agent useful in the prevention and/or treatment of an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition. 
     
     
         6 . A process comprising the steps of: (a) performing the assay according to  claim 4 ; (b) identifying one or more agents capable of modulating a ganglioside associated activity;
 and (c) preparing a quantity of those one or more agents.   
     
     
         7 . A process comprising the steps of: (a) performing the assay according to  claim 4 ; (b) identifying one or more agents capable of modulating a ganglioside associated activity; and (c) preparing a pharmaceutical composition comprising those one or more identified agents. 
     
     
         8 . A process comprising the steps of: (a) performing the assay according to  claim 4 ; (b) identifying one or more agents capable of modulating a ganglioside associated activity; and (c) modifying one or more identified agents that modulates a ganglioside associated activity; and (d) preparing a pharmaceutical composition comprising those one or more modified agents. 
     
     
         9 . An agent identified by the process of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         10 . An agent according to  claim 9 , wherein the agent is a GM1 binding agent. 
     
     
         11 . An agent according to  claim 10 , wherein the agent is EtxB. 
     
     
         12 . An agent according to  claim 9 , wherein the agent had not previously been known to affect an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition through modulation of a ganglioside associated activity. 
     
     
         13 . A ganglioside according to  claim 4 , wherein the ganglioside is a GM1 ganglioside. 
     
     
         14 . A method of affecting an allergic condition or a hypersensitivity condition with one or more agents;
 wherein the agent is capable of modulating a ganglioside associated activity in an in vitro assay method; and   wherein the in vitro assay method is the assay method defined in  claim 4 .   
     
     
         15 . Use of an agent according to  claim 4 , in the manufacture of a medicament to affect an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition. 
     
     
         16 . An agent prepared by a process according to  claim 6  for use as a pharmaceutical. 
     
     
         17 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising or prepared from an agent according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         18 . Use of an agent in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 7 , for the treatment of an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition. 
     
     
         19 . An agent capable of modulating a ganglioside associated activity substantially as described herein.