Why Mess with Your Body When You Don’t Have To?

Most allergy treatments target the symptoms - your sneezing, itchy eyes, and runny dose. They target your body, but not the true source of the problem. In this four part series, we first discuss current approaches to managing allergens in the home and what makes Pacagen different.

Allergens - not your immune system - are the ones to blame

When you take an antihistamine like Benadryl, Claritin, or Zyrtex, you’re essentially telling your immune system to calm down after an allergic chain reaction has already started. Allergy shots work differently, slowly desensitizing your body with years of microdosing. Both approaches can help, but neither stops the chain reaction at the start.

The truth is, the real spark for your symptoms isn’t your immune system at all - it’s the allergens themselves: tiny proteins invisible to the eye that stick to things like pet dander, pollen, and even dust mites. These substances are harmless to most, but in certain individuals, their immune system mistakes them as dangerous invaders. The result? An immune overreaction or a “false alarm” that floods your body with histamines, leaving you sneezing, itching, and congested.

Now here’s the frustrating part: everyone’s immune systems vary widely. That’s why allergic triggers - and responses to medication - are so inconsistent. In fact:

• Only approximately 43% of people benefit from allergy pills.¹
• Around 60% of people improve from allergy shots.²

On the other hand, the allergens themselves are remarkably consistent:

• Approximately 90% of people with cat allergies react specifically to Fel d 1 (a protein found in cat dander and saliva).³
• 50-64% people with dog allergies are sensitive to Can f 1 (a protein found in cat dander and saliva), where 80% of them exhibit severe asthma.⁴
• Over 84% homes tested positive with dust mites that produce Der p 1 and Der p 2 proteins.⁵
  

This consistency opens the door for a different strategy. Instead of constantly fighting your immune system’s false alarms, what if we were to target the source of your allergies - the allergens themselves - before they ever cause any trouble?&

That’s exactly what Pacagen was designed to do. Pacagen works in your environment, where the allergens are. Using engineered proteins inspired by the unique antibodies of alpacas, our unique Whiskerblock™ and EnviroBlockTM technologies selectively bind and deactivate allergens in the home environment before they ever reach your body.

By acting ahead of allergic reactions, Pacagen offers a safe, precise, and effective way to manage household allergens.This is how we’re flipping the script on allergen management: through environmental elimination instead of symptom treatment.

1. Pacagen Works in Your Home—Not in Your Body

Imagine sitting on your couch with your pet curled up beside you, finally able to relax without that familiar wave of sneezing, itchy eyes, or congestion. For most people with allergies, this feels like wishful thinking.

How allergy pills work

Most allergy pills are antihistamines, meaning they block the function of histamine. One of histamine’s functions is to deliver warning messages: histamine binds to the receptor on immune cells to alert them about the presence of threats. The immune system can then be activated and respond to them.

When your immune system mistakenly identifies a harmless allergen as a threat, it orders cells called mast cells to release histamine. Histamine then spreads through your tissues and activates a chain reaction in your immune system, triggering itching, swelling, sneezing, and increased mucus production.

Antihistamines work by blocking the receptors on cells that normally respond to histamine. In effect, they prevent histamine from delivering its “activation” signals, which helps reduce allergy symptoms. The downside? Histamine has many other important roles in the body as well.

It also helps regulate sleep-wake cycles, stomach acid secretion, and alertness. When you take antihistamines, these critical functions are also impacted. That is why antihistamines can make you drowsy, dry out your mouth and eyes, cause dizziness, or slow reaction times.

What is worse, antihistamines simply stop histamine from activating your immune system, but the histamine remains and builds up in your body, waiting to send the activation signal out. It’s like someone drafted hundreds of emails to you without the internet, and when their Wi-Fi is up, you will be bombarded with all of them at once.

This creates a rigid schedule, where missing a dose can send symptoms rushing back much stronger. For children or anyone with a busy routine, keeping up with such timing can feel almost as disruptive as the allergies themselves.

How allergy shots work

Allergy shots take a much more aggressive approach. The method stems from the principle of venom tolerance: people stung repeatedly by bees or bitten by snakes in small amounts can sometimes develop resistance over time.

With allergy shots, doctors inject controlled doses of allergens into the body in gradually increasing amounts over time. The goal is to “teach” the immune system to get used to the exposure and stop seeing these particles as threats.

This method works by shifting the balance of immune response. Normally, allergies are driven by an antibody called IgE, which captures antigens and signals mast cells to produce histamine and other chemicals.

Allergy shots encourage the body to produce more IgG antibodies instead. IgG acts like a defensive football player, intercepting allergens before they trigger the IgE cascade. Over time, this can reduce sensitivity.

But because this process involves directly injecting allergens, the risks and burdens are significant. Every shot introduces the chance of a strong reaction, ranging from hives and swelling to life-threatening anaphylaxis.

That’s why each injection must be given in a clinic with medical supervision, followed by observation afterward. The schedule is also long and demanding: often weekly shots for several months, then monthly maintenance doses for years.

Even with all that effort, some people only see partial improvement, while others may see no benefit at all.

A different path: Pacagen tackles allergens at the source

Pacagen takes a simpler and more direct approach.Instead of reducing symptoms and altering the immune system, it neutralizes allergens themselves before they get in contact with your body.

Formulated as sprays, WhiskerBlock and EnviroBlock technologies can be easily applied to couches, carpets, curtains, or pet bedding, where our engineered proteins begin breaking down allergen particles within minutes, turning them non-triggering.

Take the most common cat allergen, Fel d 1, as an example. This protein is produced in cat saliva and sebaceous glands and ends up sticking to fur and dander. What makes Fel d 1 an especially potent allergen is its structure. It exists as a tetramer—four protein subunits that assemble into a stable, compact shape.

This Fel d 1 tetramer is very sticky, clings to surfaces for months, and can be efficiently captured by IgE antibodies on mast cells. Once bound, it cross-links IgE molecules, sets off a powerful chain reaction, ultimately flaring up your allergies.

Our WhiskerBlock technology intervenes before this cascade can even begin. The engineered WhiskerBlock proteins recognize and bind to Fel d 1, disrupting its tetrameric structure. Once broken into smaller, unstable subunits, Fel d 1 can no longer cross-link IgE receptors. In other words, it is stripped of its ability to trigger the immune system. Instead of managing symptoms after exposure, WhiskerBlock prevents the contact from the root.

This approach is powerful because it doesn’t rely on changing how the immune system behaves. Instead, it works right where allergens build up—on surfaces in your home.

By staying localized in the environment rather than entering your body, Pacagen avoids the common problem of systemic side effects that come with medications or injections. There is no drowsiness, no dry mouth, no dizziness, and no long-term impacts on the immune system.

The benefits also extend well beyond a single person using the product. When allergens are neutralized at the source, the entire household experiences the difference.

Children can play freely on the carpet without triggering reactions, family members can breathe easier, and guests who might normally avoid visiting due to pet allergies can feel comfortable and welcome.

In this way, the effect is not just individual relief but a transformation of the whole living environment into a healthier, more inviting space.

2. Pacagen: Allergen Management, On Target

At Pacagen, we believe that specificity equals safety.

What do we mean? Every WhiskerBlock and EnviroBlock protein is carefully picked from over a billion candidates, chosen for their ability to interact with just one specific allergen. They’re engineered to be hyper-specific, targeting only the environmental allergens that trigger your allergic reactions, and nothing else.

Read more: On-target Allergen Management

3. Real-World Results Back It Up

The engineered proteins we use are more just a lab experiment or a marketing claim - they’re the product of rigorous science and uncompromising. In extensive studies, Pacagen has consistently delivered outstanding results in allergen management.

Read more: The Next Generation of Allergen Management

4. Better Fit for Modern Homes

Pills can get lost. Nasal sprays can be forgotten. Allergy shots mean monthly clinic visits. None of these fit naturally into a busy lifestyle. Instead, Pacagen fits seamlessly into any routine. Just spray it on surfaces 2-3 times a week - no prescriptions, no doctor’s appointments, and no side effects.

Even better: it’s shelf-stable (it can last even longer with refrigeration). Store it anywhere in your home and make your home hypoallergenic.

Read more: The Better Routine Meet for Modern Homes

Simple Spray, No Drugs, No Shots, No More Discomfort

Allergy medications and shots can help, but they come with trade-offs: side effects, years of appointments, and no guarantee of fast, and durable relief.

At Pacagen, we take a different approach with WhiskerBlockTM and EnviroBlockTM. It’s not an antihistamine and it’s not bleach. It’s something new - a highly-specific solution you can use regularly to make your home less allergic.

Safe. Simple. Practical.

Best of all, it puts you in control of your home environment - without changing your routine or saying goodbye to the pets you love. Because everyone deserves to be comfortable in their own home.

References

1. Ornek, S. A. et al. An evaluation of remission rates with first and second line treatments and indicators of antihistamine refractoriness in chronic urticaria. Int Immunopharmacol. 112, 109198 (2022).
2. Cleveland Clinic. (2023, August 9). Allergy shots: Effectiveness, side effects & what to expect. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/25194-allergy-shots
3. Sparkes, A. H. Human allergy to cats: A review for veterinarians on prevalence, causes, symptoms and control. J. Feline Med. Surg. 24, 31–42 (2022).
4. Chan, S. K. & Leung, D. Y. M. Dog and Cat Allergies: Current State of Diagnostic Approaches and Challenges. Allergy Asthma Immunol. Res. 10, 97–105 (2018).
5. Arbes, S. J. et al. House dust mite allergen in US beds: Results from the first national survey of lead and allergens in housing. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 111, 408–414 (2003).