For those who suffer from serious food allergies, the simple act of eating can turn into Russian roulette. This is why the arrival of omalizumab presents itself as a light of hope. The drug, originally approved for the treatment of asthma, has been shown to offer significant protection against severe allergic reactions, opening a new chapter in the management of food allergies.
An extraordinary discovery
The research, published on February 25, 2024 in the New England Journal of Medicine (I link it to you here), involved 3 adults and 177 children, all severely allergic to peanuts and at least two other foods.
After approximately four months of treatment with omalizumab, 67% of participants showed tolerance equivalent to the ingestion of two or three peanuts without significant reactions, a result significantly higher than the 7% of the placebo group.
How does omalizumab work?
The drug works by blocking IgE antibodies, responsible for allergic reactions. Unlike other food allergy treatments based on gradual exposure to the allergen, omalizumab works immediately and can be used even in very young children. This feature makes it a promising option for a broad spectrum of food allergies, asthma and other conditions.
Do we have any contraindications? At the moment yes, and they still seem pretty big. The treatment involves periodic injections and has a non-negligible cost, exceeding $1.400 per injection. Again: given its dynamics, there is the possibility that the drug could reduce the natural immune defenses against some infections. And it is worth remembering that it does not eliminate the allergy but increases the tolerance threshold: no more serious reactions, but I would still suggest caution in avoiding allergenic foods.
Goodbye allergic reactions? Future perspectives
Omalizumab paves the way for new approaches in the treatment of food allergies. However, open questions remain about its long-term effectiveness and the variation in individual results. It is worth continuing this research (perhaps also exploring other therapies) because the prospect of being able to eat without fearing even serious allergic reactions is a significant advancement.
There is a way forward, and that's good news. Maybe it's still a long way off, but the direction seems to be the right one.
