A recent trial of the new vaccine, known only as CYT003-Qbg10 , conducted by scientists from Cytos Biotechnology, a firm based in Zurich, concluded that a course of the vaccine was almost as good as steroids at keeping asthma under control.

The vaccine efficacy depends on pieces of synthetic DNA (similar to those found in the bug that causes TB) that fools the body into thinking it is under attack from a dangerous bug, kick-starting a multi-pronged immune response.

When 63 asthmatic patients were randomly assigned to the jab or a series of dummy injections over two or three months their attacks were reduced by over 30%.

In another trial, an injection every week over a month and half, reduced the symptoms of hay fever by almost 39%.  Quality of life was boosted by 42%.

The first large-scale human trial could start next year and a vaccine could be available within a few years.

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