Virtual Booth

Food allergy is a growing health concern in Malaysia, with an estimated 11 million Malaysians experiencing allergic symptoms, yet only about 1.5 million have ever been tested for specific allergens. This diagnostic gap highlights the urgent need for accessible and reliable testing methods. The Skin Prick Test (SPT) is recognized as the gold-standard diagnostic tool, as it can determine whether a patient is allergic to a specific source by pricking the forearm skin with the extract and observing the immediate formation of a wheal. However, most allergen extracts used for SPT in Malaysia are imported and not derived from local species, which can lead to inconsistent or less accurate results. MYALLERGEN addresses this issue by providing a standardized allergen extract made from local shellfish species, with the first wave focusing on six common Malaysian shellfish: blue swimmer crab (Portunus pelagicus), white squid (Loligo edulis), blood cockle (Anadara granosa), sharp rostrum prawn (Parapenaeopsis hardwickii), giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) and carpet clam (Paphia textile). This innovation enhances diagnostic accuracy, safety and affordability for local clinical use. Conducted through a collaborative effort between Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and the Institute for Medical Research (IMR), with Biomed Global Sdn. Bhd., as the commercial partner, this project is supported by the IMaP Industrial Matching Grant to transform local shellfish resources into standardized allergen diagnostic extracts ready for national use.