On Jan. 31, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Palforzia, produced by Aimmune Therapeutics, to lessen allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanuts.
Palforzia is an oral immunotherapy (OIT) shown to help some children and teens increase tolerance, reducing the likelihood of a serious reaction from accidental exposure to peanuts. It uses increasing doses of peanut flour to help a body deal with the ingestion of protein powder without a serious systemic reaction.
Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in FDA’s news release, “When used in conjunction with peanut avoidance, Palforzia provides an FDA-approved treatment option to help reduce the risk of these allergic reactions in children with peanut allergy.”
America’s peanut farmers, through the National Peanut Board, release the following statement supporting the significance of FDA’s approval:
“Children living with peanut allergies now have a treatment option that can profoundly change their lives. Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) is not a cure, but it has already been shown to improve the quality of life significantly for those who completed OIT in trials.
As America’s peanut farmers, we are grateful to the researchers and families who stayed focused on this outcome because they believed a better future for allergy sufferers was both possible and important. Whether to choose OIT or continue to avoid peanuts is a personal decision and should be made in consultation with a physician or healthcare provider.”
