Prospects for CpG based immunotherapy in asthma and allergy.

Although administration of protein allergens to subjects with allergic rhinitis and asthma is effective in modulating the immune response and reducing symptoms, alternative strategies to minimize the allergenicity of protein immunotherapy while improving the effectiveness are currently being investigated in animal models of asthma and in human subjects with allergic rhinitis. CpG DNA, and CpG DNA conjugated to a protein allergen have shown promise in animal models of asthma and have entered phase I/II clinical trials. Further, clinical trials are needed to determine whether any of these CpG DNA based therapies are safe and effective to use in subjects with allergic rhinitis and asthma.