Formalinized allergen-containing substances and production thereof

Claim 1

A process for producing a formalinized allergen of low allergenic activity in allergic humans and which is capable of inducing in mammals the formation of blocking antibody against the native allergen in significant concentration, comprising: (1) extracting an allergen-containing material with an aqueous solution; (2) removing essentially all of the low molecular weight non-allergenic substances from the soluble part of the said extract to leave the allergen-containing materials in said solution; (3) adding formaldehyde to the said solution of allergen-containing materials to give a concentration of formaldehyde from about 0.06 M to 5.0 M; (4) treating the aqueous extract of material containing said allergens with said formaldehyde solution in a non-phenolic environment at a temperature from about the freezing point of the incubation mixture up to about 40° C.; and (5) incubating the same at a temperature below that which the allergen undergoes substantial heat denaturation and generally from about the freezing point of the incubation mixture up to about 40° C. until the substantial formation of inter- or intramolecular methylene bridge linkages occurs in said solution and the allergenic determinant groups are modified to result in substantial reduction of allergenic properties while largely retaining the desired immunizing properties.