Daily peanut dose ‘can desensitise adults with severe allergy’

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By Sarah Lowden

Adults with a severe peanut allergy can be desensitised by consuming a daily peanut protein dose, a clinical trial has concluded.

The oral immunotherapy technique has already been successful in children and infants but this first trial in adults has found it can also be beneficial for older age groups.

Chief investigator Stephen Till, Professor of Allergy at King’s College London, said: “The average tolerated dose of peanuts increased 100-fold over the course of the trial.”

More than two-thirds of adults in the trial were able to tolerate the equivalent of five peanuts without reacting, by the end of the programme.

The Phase II trial recruited 21 adults between 18 and 40 years old with a clinical diagnosis of peanut allergy at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Their allergy was confirmed via skin prick test, blood test and then an oral food challenge.

Participants received the first dose of 0.8mg peanut flour mixed in with food, then 1.5 mg 30 minutes later followed by 3mg a further 30 minutes later.