Help for Multiple Food Allergies

About 8 percent of US children suffer from food allergies, and almost half of those have multiple food allergies. 

No approved solutions for those allergic to multiple foods existed—until now.

The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved injection of omalizumab (brand name Xolair) for the reduction of allergic reactions, including reducing the risk of anaphylaxis in certain adults and children one year or older with one or more food allergies.

This approval was based on interim findings from a clinical trial that showed a 16-week course of omalizumab, an injectable drug, increased the amount of milk, peanut, tree nuts, egg, and wheat that some multifood-allergic children could consume without an allergic reaction after exposure.

Emory and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta were among 10 sites to take part in the first stage of the trial.

“While not a cure, omalizumab is the first medicine available that could help reduce allergic reactions to multiple foods following an accidental exposure, which will provide a great benefit to many of these patients,” says Brian Vickery, Marcus Professor of Pediatric Immunology at Emory’s School of Medicine and chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children’s.

 

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