There is been a lot of press recently about a new FDA approved treatment for peanut allergy. As food allergy specialists, we are certainly excited about additional treatment options for patients. For years avoidance was the mainstay of care and accidental exposure to trace amounts of peanut could be dangerous for the sensitive patient. This new therapy developed by Aimmune Therapeutics, is a form of oral immunotherapy (“OIT”) and helps to prevent a severe reaction to trace amount of peanut. While the full study will be published later this week, it appears to be effective. Over the course of six months, subjects were able to tolerate approximately 1 peanut, in slowly increasing amounts, taken as a capsule mixed with food.
At Austin Family Allergy & Asthma, we are among a handful of allergy practices in the country already offering OIT to our patients. We began OIT about a year and a half ago and have now enrolled 30 patients. We have had remarkable success and most patients are tolerating 8 peanuts a day, higher than the Aimmune product and more than enough to protect against accidental exposure accidental exposure. In fact, several of our patients have passed high dose peanut challenges and are now freely eating peanut butter sandwiches whenever they please!
