New Medication for Peanut Allergy
May 20, 2019
Good news!
Aimmune Therapeutics' peanut allergy drug succeeded in late clinical trials and is under review by the FDA. AR101 is a biological drug that aims to reduce severe allergic reactions that people may have when accidentally exposed to peanuts. It is a capsule that can be easily snapped open and sprinkled over food. In March, the Biologics License Application (BLA) was accepted and brought into review by the FDA and a decision is expected by late 2019! Chicago Allergy & Asthma is always looking for up-to-date therapies to help our patients.
The results of phase three of the clinical trial were published to the New England Journal of Medicine. Of all the patients that received active treatment two-thirds were able to ingest more than 600 mg of peanut protein, or about one peanut. Of the patients that received placebo only 4% were able to ingest 600 mg or more of peanut protein. Both the placebo and active treatment group still recorded allergic reactions but the drug seemed to affect the severity of those symptoms as well. For some, the treatment made the reaction weaker and for others the effect of the drug was adverse. It is important that drugs such as these are continuously studied and advanced because of the potential that they have so save lives. Maybe there is a foreseeable future that allows everyone to live free of food allergies.
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