Medical News
New drug can reduce life-threatening risk from food allergies in children
The medication promises to significantly improve prevention against severe allergic reaction caused by common foods
The US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) recently approved a new drug , omalizumab , that can help kids avoid severe allergic reactions triggered by small amounts of food , such as di�culty breathing .
A team of researchers led by scientists at the Stanford School of Medicine enrolled 177 children with at least three food allergies , with skin-prick testing confirming they could experience an allergic reaction to less than 100 milligrams ( mg ) of peanut protein and less than 300 mg of other foods . They then gave omalizumab injections to two-thirds of them over 16 weeks , while the remaining children received a placebo injection or dummy drug . At the end of treatment , all the children were retested to check their reactions to the foods � 66 . � percent of those who were injected with omalizumab could tolerate at least 600 mg of peanut protein , while only 6 . � percent of the placebo group showed the same tolerance .
�Patients impacted by food allergies face a daily threat of life-threatening reactions due to accidental exposures , � the study ’ s lead author , Dr �obert Wood , professor of pediatrics at �ohns Hopkins University School of Medicine , said in a press release . �The study showed that omalizumab can be a layer of protection against small , accidental exposures .”
It ’ s worth noting that 3� . 4 percent of the participants were children under six , the group at the greatest risk for unknowingly eating small amounts of food they are allergic to .
People with severe allergies are recommended to avoid triggering foods altogether , but common foods that cause allergies , like peanuts , milk , wheat , and eggs , can be found in many things people commonly eat , making it a challenge to safely eat outside , such as in restaurants or other people ’ s homes .
Until now the best approach to food allergies has been oral immunotherapy , where doctors give patients tiny but increasing food amounts to build tolerance over time . But this can also trigger allergic reactions , takes a long time to succeed , and has to be continued regularly to be effective .
�There is a real need for treatment that goes beyond vigilance and offers choices for our food
allergic patients , � the study ’ s senior author , Dr Sharon Chinthrajah , associate professor of medicine and pediatrics and the acting director of the Sean N . Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma �esearch at Stanford Medicine , said in the press release .
While the drug did not lead to significant side effects , some participants experienced minor reactions at the injection sites , so more studies will be needed to better understand the medication ’ s impact .
�We have a lot of unanswered questions : How long do patients need to take this drug ? Have we permanently changed the immune system ? What factors predict which people will have the strongest response ? � Dr Chinthrajah said . �We don ’ t know yet . �
Another positive of omalizumab is its e�cacy against multiple conditions that are often present along with food allergies , such as asthma , allergic rhinitis , or eczema . “ One drug that could improve all of their allergic conditions is exactly what we ’ re hoping for , � she said .
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