Meet the married Princeton scientists who spent $2 million developing a cat allergy spray so they could keep their cat
Would you spend $2,000,000 to get rid of your cat allergies? Married scientists Dr. Evan Zhao and Dr. Siyang Han did just that developing a revolutionary anti-allergy spray called Pacagen. Their inspiration? Their cat, MiaoMiao.
Is There a Cure for Cat Allergies?
While there is currently no universal cure for cat allergies, scientists are developing new ways to neutralize allergens before they trigger symptoms. Pacagen’s spray targets Fel D1—the primary protein responsible for cat allergies—preventing it from activating the immune response.
The Cat That Sparked a $2 Million Idea
Zhao and Han’s adored British Shorthair brought an abundance of love—and allergies—into their lives. Han found she was allergic, experiencing a stuffy nose, itchy eyes, and asthma symptoms. The couple couldn’t bear to part with MiaoMiao, so Zhao, with his background in biotechnology, decided to engineer a solution.
“It was so effective that I could stop taking antihistamines altogether.”
Have Cat Allergies? This Scientist Couple Engineered a Solution
Zhao turned to a special class of proteins that he studied during his PhD which could be tailored to target specific allergens and turned into a spray.
The resulting product is their cat allergen neutralizing spray, which is easy to use, effective for anyone with cat allergies, and completely safe for both people and pets.
MiaoMiao, the cat that started it all.
The Science Behind Pacagen’s Allergen-Neutralizing Proteins
“The spray contains special proteins we’ve named WhiskerBlock that neutralize specifically the allergen that they were designed for. For the cat spray, the proteins target the allergen Fel D1. For the dog spray, the (different) proteins target the allergens CAN F1 and CAN F2,” explains Zhao. The innovative structure transforms allergenic tetramers into non-reactive monomers.
100,000 People Are Using This Spray to Neutralizes Cat Allergens Instantly
Simply spray the space you’re in. It works instantly on the allergens. “It was so effective that I could stop taking antihistamines altogether,” says Han.
So far, they have sold 100,000 units. “People are amazing at sending us updates on the product,” says Evan. “Customers are amazed at how well it works.”
This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Cat magazine.
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