Skip to content
Beckman Coulter Life Sciences has introduced a next-generation Basophil Activation Test (BAT) to support safer, faster food allergy research without exposing patients to potential allergens.
Globally, over 220 million people are affected by food allergies. Traditionally, diagnosis and treatment rely on the oral food challenge (OFC) – a time-consuming and sometimes risky process where patients consume increasing amounts of an allergen under medical supervision. In contrast, this new BAT requires only a simple blood draw and can test for multiple allergens at once, eliminating the risk of triggering severe reactions like anaphylaxis.
“This groundbreaking alternative removes patient obstacles and ethical concerns tied to direct allergen exposure,” said Dr Jean-Marc Busnel, Senior Research Scientist at Beckman Coulter. “It unlocks the potential to expand food allergy drug development by making research safer and more accessible.”
The innovation builds on the $1 million FARE Innovation Award that Beckman Coulter Life Sciences received in 2022, which supports the development of safer allergy diagnostics.
“At FARE, we’ve prioritised finding safer alternatives to OFCs,” added Dr Sung Poblete, CEO of FARE. “This new BAT represents a major step forward, helping to move diagnostics closer to real-world clinical use.”
Unlike traditional BATs, which can be difficult to use consistently, Beckman Coulter’s version uses dry technology to simplify the process. All reagents, antibodies, and allergens come pre-mixed in a single tube, cutting down pipetting steps and removing the need for compensation or centrifugation. It is compatible with any flow cytometer and includes optional positive and negative controls.
Custom design services are also available, offering researchers flexibility in allergens, antibodies, and concentrations.
Learn more about this innovation here.
