FDA approves new food allergy drug
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – Accidental exposure to foods that people are allergic can lead to dangerous results. But, as First News at Nine’s Dashal Mentzel explains, a drug that’s been on the market for decades may be able to reduce the chance of a severe allergic food reaction.
The drug Xolair has been available for more than 20 years, and while it’s normally used to treat asthma, a recent study led the FDA to approve it to help those with food allergies. “The study included things like cashew, hazelnut, walnut, egg, milk, and wheat. As of last week the FDA approved it for IGE-mediated food allergies.”
Samantha Knox is a pediatric allergist at Gundersen Health System, and she is excited to see this medication be used to help treat those who deal with allergies, “I think it’s really showing us a pathway that we’ve been able to target some of those the food allergy pathway and help treat those patients who have multiple food allergies, who have had anaphylactic reactions.”
The study has shown that the drug can increase the amount of allergenic food that a person can consume, “In most cases, it’s 100 milligrams or less of the food protein with a bite reaction. That’s if we accidentally take a bite of a cookie or candy and it has our allergen in it. what they’re looking at was more of like 1000 milligrams or a few nuts or a larger portion of their milk or egg, which was a really good indication that this was helping to protect those accidental exposures.”
While the drug helps prevent reactions, Knox warns that it is not a cure and people should still be careful, “It does not resolve your allergy. It is not something that we can see modify your immune system such that it sustains, thus far. There’s lots of research to be done hereafter to see how long this lasts and for how long that needs to be done.”
Xolair is administered through an injection that is given every 2 to 4 weeks. In La Crosse, Dashal Mentzel First News at Nine.
Knox says this medication is the first of its kind to be indicated for IGE-mediated food allergies.
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