Anaphylaxis Campaign

Supporting people at risk of severe allergies

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Promising results as Viaskin Peanut trial in peanut-allergic toddlers concludes

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A recent trial by DBV Technologies has produced promising results for very young children with peanut allergies and their families.

The trial assessed whether Viaskin Peanut – an immunotherapy skin patch – was safe, and if it worked for children between one and three years old. Most peanut-allergic children are diagnosed between these ages, but there are currently no approved therapies for this age group.

For a successful result, toddlers intolerant to tiny amounts (10 mg or less) of peanut protein, needed to be able to tolerate 300 mg or more after 12 months. Toddlers who could already manage more than 10 mg had to be tolerant of 1,000 mg of peanut protein after 12 months.

Results:

  • Did it work? Viaskin Peanut met the trial’s criteria for 67% of toddlers on the trial, compared to 33.5% in a placebo trial.
  • Was it safe? 8.6% of toddlers had adverse reactions – this was most commonly mild to moderate skin reactions – compared to 2.5% in the placebo trial.

The findings matched results from other trials DBV Technologies has carried out with children aged four and over. Many of the families (88%) have opted for the toddlers to continue to benefit from the treatment by signing up for a further long-term trial.

Simon Williams, Chief Executive of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, says, “It’s easy for parents of small children to get disheartened about peanut allergy when there is such a lack of treatments. But the truth is, research and development is evolving all the time. This latest trial from DBV Technologies gives us further hope for a much brighter future for families living with peanut allergy.”

Dr Pharis Mohideen, Chief Medical Officer of DBV Technologies, said, “We are thrilled by the topline results of EPITOPE, our second Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Viaskin Peanut.

“We are grateful to the toddlers and their parents, caregivers and allergists who are contributing to a brighter future by having participated in this first-of-its kind trial.”

New clinical trial from the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation

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Congratulations to the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, which is running a new clinical trial in oral immunotherapy, focusing on children with milk and peanut allergies. The research will investigate whether these allergies can be effectively treated with everyday foods instead of drugs.

The three-year Natasha Clinical Trial is the first major study funded by the Foundation. It will be led by researchers at the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, partnering with Imperial College, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Newcastle University and Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

The study will recruit 216 people between the ages of three and 23 with food allergy to cow’s milk and aged six to 23 with food allergy to peanut.

Natasha Ednan-Laperouse tragically died in 2016 after suffering an allergic reaction to a Pret A Manger baguette. Since Natasha’s death, her parents, Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, set up the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and have been raising awareness around food safety. In October 2021, Natasha’s Law came into effect, requiring foods prepared and packed on the same premises they are sold to carry a full list of ingredients with any of the 14 major allergens on the packaging.

Chief Executive of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, Simon Williams, said:

“We would like to congratulate and thank Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse for all the hard work they do to make the world a safer place for the allergic community. This new trial has positive implications for people with severe allergies and their families, and we look forward to hearing what findings are discovered in the trial in due course.”

More details on the trial can be found on the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation website here.

FOUR GOLDS announced in the Free From Food Awards Easter category

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The Free From Food Awards announced the winners of their Easter category last night. The category was judged by a panel including Simon, our Chief Executive, Sarah, our Campaigns Manager, food & allergy writer/presenter Nathalie Newman and allergy blogger Lindiwe Lewis.

 In a category where chocolate is such an important feature, the team would not have been complete without its four child judges. 

The panel convened in London on 1 Feb to sample a range of Easter products, from Easter eggs to Simnel cake, hot cross buns and Easter egg hunt treats.

The announcement of the winners has been moved forward this year, to give people a chance to stock up before the Easter bank holiday.

While blind tasting all these delicious foods is undoubtedly a perk of the job for Sarah and Simon, the Free From Food Awards and judging panels have a serious task on their hands – judging the best free from food available. The awards are also a celebration of and raise awareness about the range of products now available. People with allergies should never feel excluded, particularly during times of celebration like Easter, and they certainly don’t have to tolerate substandard products! The Free From Food Awards helps consumers select the best and tastiest items out there.

And the winners are…

Gold winners
NOMO’s Cookie Dough Crunch Egg & Bunny : “the perfect egg for kids and adults with allergies or without”
Wicked Kitchen’s Fruity Blackcurrant Flavour Choc Egg : “perfect tempering” and “a lovely blackcurrant flavour”
Moo Free Original Easter Egg & Bag of Moofresas : “intricate moulding and looks so special”
Asda Free From Marble Choc Easter Egg : “a pretty marble effect enhanced by the outer texture”

Silver winners
Glitterbug Bakery’s Simnel Cake
NOMO Caramel & Sea Salt Egg & Bar
Tesco Free From 10 Cluckie the Chicks Adventure Hunt

To view all the winners, including the bronze category and other finalists, visit the Free From Food Awards website.

 

Aimmune study shows the practical and emotional impact of living with peanut allergy

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Aimmune Announces Publication of UK and Ireland Findings from the APPEAL Study Highlighting the Practical and Emotional Impact of Living with Peanut Allergy

– Largest study to date to probe the impact of peanut allergy on allergic individuals and their caregivers in the UK and Ireland –
– Study reveals the impact of peanut allergy across all aspects of daily life, including its effect on relationships, experiences of bullying, persistent stress, and anxiety –
– Peanut allergy affects between 0.5-2.5% of children in the UK[1] –

 London, UK — February 8, 2022 — Aimmune Therapeutics UK Ltd. today announced the publication of UK and Ireland country data from the APPEAL (Allergy to Peanuts ImPacting Emotions And Life) study which have been published in PLOS ONE. APPEAL is the largest European study to date, focused on the emotional and psychosocial impact of peanut allergy, and was created through a collaboration of allergy specialists and representatives of patient advocacy groups from eight European countries.[2],[3] It was conducted in two phases (APPEAL-1 and APPEAL-2) with over 300 individuals in the UK and Ireland taking part.[4]

The APPEAL study examined the influence and psychosocial burden of living with peanut allergy experienced by allergic individuals and their caregivers. The results demonstrate the wide-ranging practical and emotional impact of peanut allergy on the lives of children, teenagers, adults, and their caregivers, and highlight a significant need to improve education, care, and management for these individuals.

“Our research shows that most people in the studies with peanut allergy face an overwhelming feeling of uncertainty, stress and anxiety in their day-to-day lives, even in daily activities that are meant to be relaxing and fun, with only a third feeling that they cope “extremely well” managing their allergy. Most shockingly, children are reluctant to tell other people about their peanut allergy in fear of being bullied or to avoid embarrassment,” said Marina Tsoumani, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, and lead author of the publication. “These data indicate an urgent need for greater support and education to ensure those with peanut allergy feel confident their condition is managed, and both their risk of anaphylaxis and fear of bullying is minimised, if not eliminated.”

“We know all too well that peanut allergy is incredibly challenging and fearful for most children and teenagers. Now, we’re also learning about the detrimental impact on parents and caregivers in the UK and Ireland, with over half in this study reporting feeling constant stress because of their child’s peanut allergy, as well as experiencing damaging effects on their relationship with their partner,” said Amena Warner, Allergy UK, and one of the authors of the publication. “The new data provides invaluable insights into both the peanut allergic individual and caregiver experience and presents a clear signpost for clinicians and policymakers to address the impact of peanut allergy.

Key findings include:

  • Due to living with peanut allergy, the majority of patients and caregivers experience levels of uncertainty (79%), stress (71%) and feeling anxious (75%). More than a third even reported feeling worried in situations that don’t involve food (35%).
  • Among children and teenagers, just over half reported experiencing bullying or teasing because of their peanut allergy (52% of survey participants).
  • Over a fifth of patients and caregivers reported feelings of isolation (22%) and 28% have been made to feel different because of their or their child’s peanut allergy.
  • All adult, teenage and caregiver respondents, and over half of the children interviewed reported a negative impact of peanut allergy on their social activities. Restricted choices were reported in various situations, including choosing where to eat out (82%), special occasions (76%), and when choosing a holiday destination (68%).
  • More than half of the caregivers reported an adverse impact on their relationship with their partner, mainly due to the stress around paying enough attention to avoiding peanuts.

The study also uncovers that despite the majority of those with a peanut allergy adopting various coping strategies and had been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector for emergency use, only 37% reported that they cope “extremely well” with their peanut allergy. Respondents’ coping strategies to avoid accidental exposure to peanuts in their everyday lives include checking ingredients, constantly paying attention to what others are eating, staying away from other people if they are eating peanuts, and asking other people to wash their hands after eating peanuts.

“Peanut allergy is often lifelong and, as these data from the UK and Ireland show, can be very difficult for children, their parents or caregivers,” said Simon Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Anaphylaxis Campaign, a UK-wide charity for people at risk of severe allergies. “This study clearly indicates that the whole family is impacted, not only from the stress and anxiety of peanut allergy itself, but also from restrictions on social activities and even the potential for bullying and harassment. These findings reinforce our understanding of the substantial burden that peanut allergy has on young people and their families and highlight the importance of having new treatment options and ongoing advice and support available for those living with this condition.”

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About the APPEAL-1 and APPEAL-2 Studies

The APPEAL (Allergy to Peanuts ImPacting Emotions And Life) studies are the first pan-European quantitative and qualitative, cross-sectional surveys to explore the burden and psychosocial impact of living with peanut allergy. The results from the UK and Ireland include findings from a total of 284 adults (187 caregivers and 97 adults with peanut allergy) who participated in APPEAL-1 and 42 individuals (11 adults, 11 teenagers and 8 children with peanut allergy and 12 caregivers of a child with peanut allergy) participated in APPEAL-2.

About Peanut Allergy

In the UK, peanut allergy affects between 0.5-2.5% of children.1 Unlike other common food allergies, peanut allergy can be lifelong.[5] Reactions to peanut are potentially life-threatening, accounting for the majority of deaths related to food allergy.[6] The standard of care has been a strict elimination diet and the timely administration of rescue medications in case of an allergic reaction from accidental exposure.[7] Despite vigilance, accidental exposures may occur and cause reactions of unpredictable severity, leading to a lifelong risk of severe reactions.4 Beyond the physical impact of peanut allergy, this condition also has a significant psychosocial impact on children, their families and caregivers. Those living with peanut allergy face many uncertainties and restrictions, in addition to constant feelings of fear, frustration, anxiety and stress in their daily lives.2

Contacts:

 

UK Media:

Jemini Sedani

+44 7940 594788
jsedani@realchemistry.com

 

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References:

 

[1] Stiefel, G., Anagnostou, K., Boyle, R.J., et al. 2017. BSACI Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Peanut and Tree Nut Allergy. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 47, pp. 719-739.

[2] DunnGalvin, A., et al. APPEAL-1: A multiple-country European survey assessing the psychosocial impact of peanut allergy. Allergy. 2020 Nov;75(11):2899-2908. DOI: 10.1111/all.14363. Epub 2020 Jul 9.PMID: 32400915

[3] Blumchen, K, et al. APPEAL-1: A pan-European survey of patient/caregiver perceptions of peanut allergy management. Allergy. 2020 May; 75(11):2920-2935. DOI: 10.1111/all.14414. Epub 2020 Jun 24.. PMID: 32438514

[4] Tsoumani M, et al. (2022) Allergy to Peanuts imPacting Emotions And Life (APPEAL): The impact of peanut allergy on children, teenagers, adults and caregivers in the UK and Ireland. PLoS ONE 17(2): e0262851. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262851.

[5] Du Toit G, Katz Y, Sasieni P, Mesher D, Maleki SJ, Fisher HR, Fox AT, Turcanu V, Amir T, Zadik-Mnuhin G, Cohen A, Livne I, Lack G. Early consumption of peanuts in infancy is associated with a low prevalence of peanut allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008 Nov;122(5):984-91. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2008.08.039. PMID: 19000582.

6 Bock SA, Muñoz-Furlong A, Sampson HA. Fatalities due to anaphylactic reaction to foods. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001;107:191-

7 Lanser, Bruce J., et al. “Current options for the treatment of food allergy.” Pediatric Clinics 62.6 (2015): 1531-1549.

Study reveals significant need, burden and psychosocial impact of peanut allergy

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The largest European quantitative study on peanut allergy has highlighted varying levels of effective disease management between countries, as well as the associated feelings of uncertainty, stress and isolation experienced by those with peanut allergy and their caregivers.

APPEAL-1 (Allergy to Peanuts imPacting Emotions And Life-1), a multi-dimensional pan-European study assessing the psychosocial effect and impact of living with peanut allergy, took place across eight European countries. Country specific data showed that more than half (52%) of UK respondents report being bullied about their peanut allergy.

Aimmune Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing treatments for life-threatening food allergies, announced the findings last week, which were published in Allergy, one of the official journals of European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI).

The study, published in two parts (Part A and Part B), highlights the substantial impact peanut allergy has on every aspect of allergic individuals’ and their caregivers’ lives, including the uncertainty they feel around how to manage frightening and debilitating reactions and concerns about the feasibility of ongoing peanut avoidance.

Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies, which affect over 17 million people in Europe. The prevalence of peanut allergy in Europe has doubled between 2005 and 2015, and around two-thirds of schools in Europe currently have at least one child at risk of anaphylaxis. Reactions to peanut are potentially life-threatening, accounting for the majority of deaths related to food allergy.

APPEAL-1 is the first and largest quantitative study to validate and bring attention to the significant burden and psychosocial impact with which allergic individuals and their caregivers are challenged in their daily lives. The findings illustrate the impact of living with the condition, and how attempting to avoid peanuts every day can be a major source of stress, fear and anxiety, clouded by the persistent worry of accidental exposure for both the allergic individual and their caregiver. The data also demonstrate that across Europe there is insufficient education for coping and living with the disease and the management of reactions. Ambiguity over how to use rescue medicine (Adrenaline Auto-Injector; AAI) and the potential trauma of necessitating its use is an additional burden that people with peanut allergy currently face.

“Our findings show that those living with peanut allergy face many uncertainties and restrictions on their daily activities, in addition to constant feelings of frustration, anxiety, stress, isolation, and uncertainty in their everyday lives,” said Audrey DunnGalvin, Ph.D., a lead investigator on the APPEAL-1 study and a lecturer in the School of Applied Psychology at University College Cork in, Ireland.

“The findings also reveal the disparity across European countries and an urgent need for greater support, improved management, and education for both peanut-allergic people and the general public to help improve living with and managing peanut allergy.”

The Part A data gave an insight into the experience of those with peanut allergy related to their reactions and disease management. Of the 1,300 respondents, only 24% had received training on what to in an emergency. Of those that had been prescribed an AAI, only a third had received training on how to use it.

The Part B data showed the impact on individuals’ freedom of choice in daily activities; feelings and emotions; impacts of bullying, and their ability to cope with peanut allergy. Of the 1,846 survey respondents:

  • 90% report feeling frustrated and stressed, with over a third having frequent feelings of anxiety
  • 65% report feelings of isolation and 43% report experiencing bullying
  • 89% report feeling restricted on where to eat out and 84% feel limited on buying food.

“The study provides essential insight and data on peanut allergy comorbidities, severity of reactions, management, and suggests a widespread need in Europe for improved quality of peanut allergy health management and education”, said Daniel Adelman, Chief Medical Officer of Aimmune.

“These findings represent the largest quantitative data set to date and, importantly, deepen our knowledge and understanding of the impact of peanut allergy on everyday lives, further providing some signposts for clinicians and policymakers on significant needs among these patients that need to be addressed.”

Commenting on the findings, Lynne Regent, CEO of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, said, “These findings highlight the need for improvements in allergy care and psychosocial support for those affected by peanut allergy. As the UK’s only charity operating solely for those affected by severe allergies and anaphylaxis, we have long understood the importance of raising awareness and improving training, education and support in allergy management and services. This study provides valuable insights which will help to inform our future work.”

To see the full release, please click here.

To download the article, please click here.

First Oral Immunotherapy Drug ‘Palforzia’ gets FDA Approval

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The Anaphylaxis Campaign is delighted to hear about the success of Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc. in the approval of their oral immunotherapy drug, Palforzia, by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is the first oral immunotherapy drug that has been approved by the FDA. It currently does not have license for use in the UK.

Palforzia is an oral drug that delivers peanut protein. Through a desensitisation approach, the patient is given increasing doses of peanut protein occurring over several months under the supervision of a healthcare professional. A maintenance phase proceeds this, which requires patients to continually take a daily dose of the drug. This is available for use in patients aged 4 to 17 years. Palforzia was not found to be significantly effective in participants aged 18 to 55 years when compared with the placebo group.

Studies have been conducted in participants in the US, Canada and Europe to assess its effectiveness. The results showed that 67% of Palforzia recipients tolerated a 600mg dose of peanut protein in the challenge, compared to 4% of the placebo recipients.

Whilst Palforzia is not a cure for peanut allergy, it provides protection against reactions to accidental peanut exposures.

Palforzia will only be available through specially certified healthcare providers, health care settings and pharmacies to patient who are enrolled in the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REM) program in the US.

Please find out more information about Palforzia here

Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc. is also looking into immunotherapy for egg allergy and tree nut allergy. Please read our factsheet for more information about immunotherapy here

The Anaphylaxis Campaign is pleased to promote chapter 3 of Leo’s Story’, a short peanut allergy awareness animated film.

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Welcome to Leo’s Story Chapter 3 which brings the latest results from the pan-European APPEAL (Allergy to Peanuts impacting Emotions And Life) Study to life.  The Anaphylaxis Campaign is a member of Team APPEAL which is a large two-phase study that is investigating the psycho-social impact of peanut allergy on the person with the allergy and their family members.

Chapter 3 reveals the daily life and emotional impact this food allergy has on children, young adults and parents. Anxiety, frustration and stress are just some of the emotional impacts that people are feeling. We encourage you to view this story and share with your friends

In the UK it is estimated that around 5 – 8 % of children have a proven food allergy with up to 1 in 55 children having a peanut allergy.

#LeosStory: Watch. Share. Raise awareness.

Chapter 3: Watch the animation on YouTube here.

Chapter 2: Watch the animation on YouTube here.

Chapter 1: Watch the film on YouTube here.

The Anaphylaxis Campaign provides information and support to parents and carers of children at risk of severe allergies through our free helpline and support groups run by dedicated volunteers.

Our helpline team is on hand to answer your questions about allergies and reactions and put your mind at rest over the things concerning you. Contact 01252 542029 or email info@anaphylaxis.org.uk between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday with your allergy problems or questions.