UPPSALA, Sweden—The identification of the immunoglobulin (IgE) antibody in 1967 provided the first measurable evidence of allergic response within the body, paving the way for allergy diagnoses using simple blood tests. That discovery triggered far-reaching advancements in allergy and asthma diagnosis and treatment that ensure today’s patients can more rapidly understand, manage and relieve their symptoms. A team of researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden is credited with discovering IgE, which was the immuno-diagnostics starting point for Thermo Fisher Scientific.
“The discovery of IgE propelled an entire area of discovery and subsequent medical breakthrough,” said Stefan Wolf, president of the ImmunoDiagnostics unit of Thermo Fisher. “The legacy of Uppsala’s contribution to help clinicians make allergy and asthma diagnosis and management continues to this day across many parts of Thermo Fisher, and we’re proud to celebrate this history even as we continue to push for new innovation.”
Added Nicholas Randal Kuchova, commercial counselor and regional senior commercial officer for the U.S. Embassy in Sweden: “As the last 50 years demonstrate, Uppsala University and Thermo Fisher Scientific have collaborated to positively change the way allergy and asthma are managed. Congratulations to both for their roles in delivering improved diagnosis and treatment to more individuals around the world.”
ImmunoCAP, now a Thermo Fisher brand, was the first commercially available test for allergen-specific IgE antibodies. It, too, came out of the Uppsala site. Other breakthroughs included the first radio-allergosorbent test for allergen-specific IgE antibodies and the first integrated solution for handling, processing and measurement in one instrument.
Thermo Fisher’s newest innovation in IgE testing, ImmunoCAP ISAC, is an immunoassay platform that combines innovative biochip technology with breakthrough research in molecular allergology. ImmunoCAP ISAC is the first in vitro diagnostic test for simultaneous measurement of specific IgE antibodies to a broad spectrum of allergen components.
