Anti-IgE Therapy of Peanut Allergy

Peanut is one of the most common food allergens at all ages¹ and the major cause of food-induced anaphylactic death.² This multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigated the efficacy of a humanized monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody to human IgE (TNX-901) to increase the threshold dose of peanut necessary to provoke symptoms in sensitive adolescents and adults. Eighty-two peanut-sensitive patients (mean age 32.4 years, range 13–59; 18/82 were age 13–17) were randomized to receive placebo or TNX-901 in 1 of 3 doses (150 mg, 300 mg, or 450 mg) subcutaneously every 4 weeks for 4 doses. Double-blind, placebo-controlled oral food challenges, the gold standard for diagnosis of food allergy,³ were done at baseline and 2 to 4 weeks after the last dose of study medication. The baseline double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge was administered on 2 days during which subjects …