Using Immunotherapy for Treating Food Allergies

Filed in archive Allergy: Research and Development , Food Allergies on April 21, 2008

Scientists from the National Jewish Medical and Research Center are evaluating the use of immunotherapy to prevent food allergy reactions. They are feeding peanut- and egg-allergic people increasing doses of an investigational protein extract from the foods to induce the participants' immune systems to tolerate the food. This is not the first time this approach has been tried. Last year, a similar study on oral immunotherapy using peanut flour turned out promising results, enabling peanut allergic children to have higher tolerance to peanuts after 2 years of therapy.

This time, older participants with peanut and egg allergies will be studied and exposed to increasing doses of the allergen.

Study participants (ages 12-40 years for peanut allergy and 6-18 years for egg allergy) will start by consuming tiny amounts of either egg or peanut protein. Physicians and staff at National Jewish will observe them closely to see if they have any symptoms of an allergic reaction. Over the course of several months, participants will consume the protein daily at home, coming in every couple of weeks or so to slowly ramp up the amount of protein they consume until they reach a "maintenance dose."

Shortly after reaching the maintenance dose, participants will be tested with a larger amount of either egg or peanut to see if the immunotherapy has reduced the immune system's response. Participants will continue taking the maintenance doses for one to three years to see if they can achieve long-term results. Six to eight weeks after discontinuing the immunotherapy, participants will again consume a larger amount of peanut or egg to see if they have become tolerant of the food.

Let's hope that this study points to a possible treatment for food allergies.