Deactivating Indoor Allergens Associated with Childhood Asthma

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Carbonix LLC proposes a Phase I research program on its novel process that abates indoor allergenic proteins that are implicated in allergies and asthma attacks. Common allergenic proteins are produced, for example, by household dust mites and cats. It is hypothesized that the CarboNix process will deactivate and/or dissolve the proteins, minimizing exposure and mitigating allergy attacks as well as asthma attacks, which are strongly associated with indoor allergens. Simultaneously, the process will kill dust mites, a major source of potent indoor allergens. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that the process can remove approximately 70% of a major dust mite allergen and greater than 80% of cat allergen. Indoor allergens contribute significantly to the degradation of indoor environments where people live, learn, and work. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, which are responsible for 3.8 million lost work or school days per year. Indoor allergens are also implicated in the triggering of asthma, a potentially fatal condition that affects about 32.5 million Americans and costs over $19 billion annually. The long-term goal of CarboNix is to provide allergy abatement services to individuals and institutions where indoor allergens and asthma are severe health issues. Completion of this Phase I SBIR project will demonstrate the feasibility of further developing this process into an allergy abatement business, and will provide the scientific and engineering basis for further research, design, and commercialization activities in a subsequent Phase II. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This Phase I SBIR project is aimed at developing a process that will reduce or eliminate indoor allergens, specifically those produced by dust mites and cats. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, which are responsible for 3.8 million lost work or school days per year. Indoor allergens are also implicated in the triggering of asthma, a potentially fatal condition that affects about 32.5 million Americans and costs over $19 billion annually.