New Tx for Food Allergies

By Sondra Forsyth

For some people, an allergic reaction to common foods such as peanuts, milk, or eggs can cause a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. At present no effective treatment for food allergy exists, and strict dietary avoidance of known food triggers is the only preventive option available. However, ongoing trials are exploring options for oral immunotherapy (OIT) for desensitization in the treatment of Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy, as described in a Review article in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology,

Giovanni Pajno, MD and coauthors at the University of Messina inItaly and Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida review the current state of OIT research for the induction of tolerance in individuals with food allergies. While early trials with OIT appear promising, rigorous, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled studies are needed to address remaining questions regarding optimal formulation, dosing, and duration for the induction of tolerance in affected patients.

A release from the publishers quotes the journal’s Editor-in-Chief, Mary Cataletto, MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook, NY) and practicing pediatric pulmonologist at Winthrop University Hospital, as saying, “Oral immunotherapy for the treatment of IgE-mediated food allergy remains experimental with a number of unanswered questions, However, it offers the potential for not only a life-saving but life-changing therapy for individuals with food allergies.”