According to a new study, a peanut allergy drug called AR101 could change the deal in case of accidental exposure

For those with peanut allergies, there may be some good news: in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine On November 18, researchers said they had discovered a potentially "revolutionary" drug for people allergic to peanuts. The drug in question is called AR101, which researchers describe as a "peanut-derived pharmaceutical product". Although it is by no means supposed to cure allergy sufferers, it may be crucial to prevent life-threatening symptoms, especially in children and adolescents.

To be trusted with the effectiveness of the drug, the researchers limited their group of participants to 555 candidates with peanut allergies, of which 499 were aged 4 to 17 years; 551 participants took "at least one dose of AR101 or placebo" per study. The researchers found that after nine to 12 months of treatment, more than two-thirds of the test subjects were able to ingest 600 mg of peanut protein (about two peanut cores) without their usual allergic reactions. half were able to ingest up to four peanut seeds, the study's authors said EurekaAlert!. The authors of the study noted that the effect of the drug in participants aged 18 to 55 years was not "significant".

For those affected, however, these implications can bring some peace of mind to young children and adolescents with peanut allergies, as well as to their parents and their schools. . Although the usual treatment plan for peanut allergies is avoidance, exposure is sometimes unavoidable – and AR101 can potentially mitigate some of the consequences, in case of accidental exposure. This is particularly noteworthy, as not only does a study conducted in 2017 suggest that peanut allergies are on the rise, but that peanut allergies are the leading cause of food-related deaths in the United States.

"We are excited to be able to help peanut-allergic children and teenagers protect themselves from the accidental consumption of peanut-containing foods," said one of the study's co-authors, the allergist Stephen Tilles, in an interview to EurekaAlert!

The allergist Jay Lieberman, MD, another co-author of the study, repeated to EurekaAlert!"This is not a miracle solution, and that does not mean people with peanut allergies will be able to eat peanuts anytime they want." This is definitely a breakthrough. a treatment in the second 2019. "

In addition, the authors of the study noted that EurekaAlert! that the test subjects had significantly fewer side effects than expected and that, overall, 80% of the participants were able to reach the basic level of daily consumption of a whole peanut core.

The study also notes that "at the present time, no FDA approved treatment is available for people with peanut allergies." If the use of the AR101 is approved, this will be the first and will be available to patients with a prescription. It should be kept in mind, however, that although tolerance to peanut treatment has been progressively reinforced with AR101 treatment in the study, the discontinuation of AR101 treatment loses its protective effect – the drug should be taken at regular intervals remain effective. Nevertheless, considering the potential consequences that this drug might help to avoid people allergic to peanuts, it could certainly change the deal if it was approved for public use.