Children and young people set to benefit from new treatment for peanut allergy
Children and young people aged between 4 and 17 with a peanut allergy could benefit from Palforzia, a new treatment which can help build up their tolerance to peanut.
Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies in children and is estimated to affect between 0.5% and 2% of children in the UK.
Palforzia (made by Aimmune Therapeutics UK) contains precise and gradually increasing amounts of peanut protein. It works by gradually increasing the body’s ability to tolerate small amounts of peanut and can help reduce the severity of allergic reactions after being exposed to peanut.
An allergy to peanuts can have a severe impact on the lives of children, young people and their families and carers. While it is rare for a peanut allergy to be fatal in the UK, the consequences of accidental exposure to peanuts can be severe, with some people needing to self-administer adrenaline and have emergency care if they are exposed to peanut.
I am pleased that we’re able to recommend a treatment that could improve the quality of life for children and young people with a peanut allergy and their carers. It will also help to give their families or carers additional confidence their child will not have a severe reaction if they are exposed to peanut.
Clinical trials showed that when compared with a placebo, Palforzia increased the proportion of people aged between 4 and 17 who could tolerate at least 1,000 mg peanut protein by over 50%. It is estimated 1,000 mg of peanut protein is equivalent to approximately 3 peanuts.
When people start taking Palforzia, they will need to attend a clinic which is able to treat anaphylaxis. If successful, people will then be able to up their dosing but will still need to attend a clinic each time the dose is raised.