An experimental peanut allergy treatment is ready for U.S. Food and Drug Administration review.
According to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine, A phase three trial included 551 people, most ages 4 to 17 with a history of life-threatening reactions after eating peanuts. Participants were given the experimental drug derived from peanuts daily over the course of several months.
Two-thirds of the children in the study were able to eat the equivalent of two peanuts without any symptoms after following the months-long experimental treatment regimen, the researchers found.
“We’re excited about the potential to help children and adolescents with peanut allergy protect themselves against accidentally eating a food with peanut in it.” said, Allergist and co-author, Stephen Tilles.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. with an annual cost in excess of $18 billion. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year.