Medical research firms have been grappling with the thorny issue of allergies for years. Now it seems that a French firm has come up with an interesting idea for treating and diagnosing common allergies in a way that should be easy to administer, even on children and babies.
If you look at their home page, DBV Technologies.com, you’ll see that DBV Technologies has been harnessing electrospray technology to produce adhesive patches called Viaskin. This is a major step forward in that they offer the chance to administer allergens to patients without having to break the skin or introduce allergens directly into the bloodstream, which leads to a higher risk of anaphylaxis. The electrospray sprays electrically-charged streams of allergens onto the patch (which is pictured below). The patch has a titanium backing; this means that the allergens end up evenly spread over the patch. The patch is then stuck to the arm, with the help of its adhesive crown. The patient’s body create a kind of ‘condensation chamber’ between the skin and the backing, which solubilizes the allergens, enabling them to pass through the skin.