New anti-allergy drug from peanuts promises to reduce disease risk

Final guidance on treating peanut allergy will be published in February, and it will be available at the National Health Service in Britain within months.

It is believed that up to 2% of children in the UK are allergic to peanuts, and children with this type of allergy are set to benefit from a new life-changing drug that reduces the risk of severe effects by building tolerance.

A report prepared by Katie Gibbons for the British newspaper "The Times" stated that, on the recommendation of health officials, the drug "Balforsia" will be available in the National Health Service to all eligible patients between the ages of 4 and 17 years by the middle of next year.

Symptoms of egg allergy in children

The drug is the first preventative treatment for peanut allergy widely available to children in the UK. It works by gradually increasing the body's tolerance to small amounts of peanuts and helps reduce the severity of the allergy.

Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies in children, and it is estimated to affect up to 2% of children in the UK.

Clinical trials showed that "Palforsia" increased the proportion of participants who could tolerate a thousand milligrams of peanut protein, which is equivalent to 3 whole peanuts, by more than 50%.

Preventive strategy

To date, the main preventive strategy for peanut allergy has been to strictly avoid it and prepare for an emergency response, with self-administration of adrenaline in cases of severe allergic reaction.

The National Institute for Health and Care Quality recommends using Palforsia as a treatment for children with peanut allergies, and the final guidance will be published next February, and it will be available in the National Health Service in Britain within months.

Promising treatment

The drug - developed by "Immune Therapeutics UK" - contains minute and gradually increasing amounts of peanut protein, and patients will initially need supervision in a clinic capable of treating anaphylaxis, and the drug is taken in the form of a powder containing peanuts, and children who respond to it appropriately Good The dose will be increased for them gradually, but they will have to go to the clinic each time it is increased.

However, Immune does not promise a cure, and Palforsia is designed to desensitize sufferers so that if they accidentally eat peanuts it will not kill them anymore, but it should still be avoided.

In order to maintain the tolerance gained from treatment, children will likely need to take Balforsia in early adulthood or have a regularly controlled dose of peanuts in their diet, to maintain the tolerance they have gained. It is uncertain how long patients will need the drug, but it is likely that a few will need to continue taking it for the rest of their lives.

"Peanut allergy can have a severe impact on the lives of children, young people, their families and caregivers, and the consequences of accidental exposure can be severe," said the chief executive of the National Institute for Health and Care Quality.

Treating British children first

Up to 600 children aged 4 to 17 are expected to receive treatment next year, rising to 2,000 each year thereafter. Peanut allergy affects one in 50 children in the UK and is one of the most common causes of food-related deaths.

"Thanks to the NHS deal, people here will be the first to benefit in Europe," said NHS Medical Director Professor Stephen Boyce.

Sophie Pratt - whose 9-year-old daughter Emily participated in the experiment at Evelina Children's Hospital London - said it changed the family's life: "Since I conducted the experiment, Emily can go to parties and play dates with confidence, and eat in restaurants without having to call to check. From the menu, we were able to take her first vacation abroad to New York and even participated in feeding the animals at the zoo, which is Emily's passion."