Peanut allergy patch shows promising long-term results in 3-year study

A recent announcement from DBV Technologies revealed promising long-term results from its EPITOPE Study. Results from a 3-year study showed that the VIASKIN® Peanut patch can help children with peanut allergies become less sensitive to peanuts, reducing the risk of serious allergic reactions. The study focused on how well the patch helps children build tolerance to peanuts while also looking at its safety and effectiveness over time.

The VIASKIN® Peanut patch uses a method called epicutaneous immunotherapy, which involves delivering small amounts of peanut protein through the skin, to train the immune system to tolerate peanuts. Each patch contains just 250 micrograms of peanut protein, much less than the amount in a single peanut. It’s applied daily and designed for children with peanut allergies.

What the study found

The researchers reported:

Improved peanut tolerance

The study found that toddlers (ages 1-3) who used the VIASKIN® Peanut patch for three years showed continued improvement in their ability to tolerate peanuts.

• After three years, over two-thirds of children in the study could eat 12–14 peanut kernels without triggering a serious allergic reaction. This is a significant improvement compared to less than one-third of children who could tolerate this amount after just one year of treatment.
• Additionally, more than three-quarters of participants were able to tolerate the equivalent of 3–4 peanuts. This is highly significant, as these patients would typically be at risk of anaphylaxis from even a tiny fraction of a peanut kernel.

No new safety concerns

The study also confirmed that the peanut patch was generally well-tolerated over three years.

• The most common side effect was mild skin irritation where the patch was applied, but this improved over time for many children.
• Importantly, there were no serious safety concerns, such as anaphylaxis, in year 3 of the study, reinforcing that the patch could be a safe long-term treatment option.

What does this mean?

The results from the EPITOPE study offer hope for families managing peanut allergies, suggesting that the VIASKIN® Peanut patch could become an effective, long-term solution for improving peanut tolerance in children. Peanut allergies are one of the most common and potentially life-threatening food allergies, so if approved, this non-invasive treatment could become a safe long-term option, potentially helping children with peanut allergies live with less fear of accidental exposure.

What’s next for the VIASKIN® Peanut Patch?

The VIASKIN® Peanut patch is not yet approved and still needs to go through regulatory steps before it can become available. DBV technologies is working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in America and has agreed on an accelerated pathway for toddlers. However, the FDA requires additional safety studies before approval.

DBV expects to begin these studies in the second quarter of this year, with hopes of submitting an application for approval later in the year. While the long-term results for the VIASKIN® Peanut patch are promising, it will still take time before it becomes an officially approved treatment option. If successful, this treatment could change the way peanut allergies are managed and pave the way for similar therapies for other food allergies in the future.

For more information visit: DBV Technologies Announces Positive 3-Year Results from EPITOPE Phase 3 Open-Label Extension Study