Drug to help in fighting off peanut allergy reactions.

One giant leap for mankind, for sure. Does this mean it will be safe to eat peanuts aboard jets again? One less thing to worry about while aloft!

First drug to prevent peanut allergy developed


14:30 11 March 03

NewScientist.com news service

People with potentially life-threatening peanut allergies may soon be able to eat without fear, say US researchers who have developed the first preventative drug.

The highest dose of the drug raised the average level at which patients with severe peanut allergies started reacting from just half a peanut to nearly nine peanuts. This could be enough to protect people who unknowingly eat food containing peanuts.

Severe peanut allergy is a growing problem, with 1.5 million US citizens at risk of suffering anaphylaxis - potentially fatal reactions to the smallest traces of the nut. It causes 50 to 100 deaths in the US every year.

The drug combats the allergy by binding to a molecule, immunoglobulin E (IgE), which is responsible for kickstarting the body's allergic response. And it could be used to help people with other food allergies, say the researchers.

"Our results indicate that the anti-IgE antibody could become the first preventive medicine for peanut allergies," said Donald Leung, of the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colorado. "If future studies bear out this initial promise, anti-IgE could not only save lives, but help lift the cloud of fear that people with peanut allergies live under every time they eat."


Allergic response


The drug investigated by Leung and his colleagues is known as TNX-901. It is a genetically modified antibody which mops up IgE. This antibody usually triggers the immune response by binding to receptors on special cells called mast cells.

There has been no way of preventing allergic reactions in people with severe peanut allergy up till now other than by strict avoidance.

TNX-901 was tested in 82 people with severe peanut allergy. They gave them either a placebo, or low-, medium- or high-doses of the drug in four monthly injections.

The patients' reactions to peanut flour were assessed two to four weeks after the last dose. The researchers found the sensitivity to peanuts decreased with the increasing doses given.

In the group given the highest dose of 450 mg, the average level at which people would suffer an allergic reaction went up from 178 milligrams of peanut flour (the equivalent of half a peanut) to 2805 mg (nearly nine peanuts).


Skin creams





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Weblinks


Donald Leung, National Jewish Medical and Research Center

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology meeting

Food Allergy network

New England Journal of Medicine



Other research, by scientists at the University of Bristol, UK, has shown that using certain skin creams containing peanut oils in young children raises their risk of developing the life-threatening allergy by almost seven times.

The study followed 14,000 infants from birth, of which 49 had a history of peanut allergy. Children given soya milk also showed an increased risk of having the allergy, by 2.6-times.

Both studies were presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology conference in Denver on Monday.

Journal reference: New England Journal of Medicine (DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa022613, 10.1056/NEJMoa013536)


Shaoni Bhattacharya

It means that while allergy sufferers still will need to be careful, that fewer will die/suffer from reactions to accidental ingestion.

Hope they're right.

no kidding
wonder where Mcat is....

Wondering?

Marycat is allergic to nuts - especially peanuts.