Hopeful news for those who suffer from peanut allergy was presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI).

A new drug called TNX-901, is a man-made antibody that can help stop the allergy process in individuals with peanut allergies. Although it does not cure the peanut allergy, allergic people who took the drug for a period of time before eating peanuts, in a clinical trial, did not get allergic symptoms from eating a small amount of peanut flour—the equivalent of about six to eight peanuts. Most accidental exposures are equivalent to eating one or two peanuts. The use of this drug, which would be taken on a regular basis, could provide greater protection to those peanut-sensitive individuals who could experience life-threatening reactions if they accidentally consume even small amounts of peanuts or peanut ingredients.

The results of this collaborative research were reported by Donald Y.M. Leung, MD, PhD, of National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, and colleagues. In addition to the presentations at the AAAAI meeting, the research was published in the March 13, 2003 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.