FDA Approves the First Peanut Allergy Treatment

Santa Monica, CA – Many allergists never thought we would see a treatment for peanut allergies. Previously, the only recommendation for peanut allergies was carrying epinephrine injector pen and strict avoidance, which in some cases still could lead to serious or even life-threatening allergic reactions with inadvertent food exposures.

Now, Dr. Bernard Geller and I are excited to announce that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the very first peanut allergy treatment, called PALFORZIA. It is a standardized oral immunotherapy (OIT) product indicated for people ages 4-17 years old with severe allergic reactions to peanuts. Palforzia can help reduce the severity of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanut.

HOW DOES PALFORZIA WORK?

Palforzia is a capsule filled with peanut powder that can be mixed into foods such as yogurt, pudding, or apple sauce. When ingested daily with carefully dosed increments, it is intended to decrease your sensitivity to small amounts of peanuts that may be hidden in foods. It is not effective against other food allergies you may have. Because Palforzia is not a cure for peanut allergy, it is likely an individual starting this therapy will need to remain on it indefinitely and are also expected to maintain dietary avoidance to peanut. Thus, the primary goal of this drug is to raise the threshold of having a severe allergic reaction to an accidental ingestion of inadvertent peanut protein.

For more information about PALFORZIA, visit our website at www.SneezeWheeze.com, or reach us by telephone: (310)828-8534 or by e-mail: FrontOffice@allergyandclinical.com

Dora Afrahim, MPAP, PA-C

Allergy & Clinical Immunology Medical Group

Author

Dora Afrahim, PA-C Dora Afrahim is a board-certified Physician Assistant. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and then received her Master's degree from Keck School of Medicine USC. Her training includes general medicine as well as diagnosing and developing individualized treatment plans for patients who suffer from allergies, asthma, and other disorders of the immune system. Dora is a Southern California native and was inspired to specialize in Allergy & Immunology by her desire to help improve her patient’s quality of life. In her spare time, she enjoys cycling, hiking, traveling and volunteering.