Commenting on the positive data, Manuel Llobet, Chief Executive Officer of Allergy Therapeutics LON:AGY, said: “Part of our international growth strategy has been to expand our immunotherapy platforms into other indications to widen our total addressable market. Consequently, whilst recognising the early stage nature of this project, we are extremely encouraged by these results. The data clearly demonstrate that when our unique adjuvant is coupled with recombinant peanut allergen it provides protection against anaphylaxis and also indicated no safety concerns often associated with traditional injected peanut vaccines. Hundreds of patients die each year in the United States as a result of food allergies (mainly peanut) and we are committed to saving these lives. This peanut vaccine programme complements our current range of marketed ultra-short course vaccines in terms of safety, efficacy and improved patient convenience.”
Allergy Therapeutics (AIM:AGY), the fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical company specialising in allergy vaccines, today told DirectorsTalk about positive results from preclinical research into its unique therapeutic peanut allergy vaccine, Polyvac(R) Peanut. Having delivered these positive preclinical Proof of Concept results, Allergy Therapeutics will now progress the vaccine in accordance with its stated strategic plan when funding the programme and will proceed to Phase I development following completion of a first in man safety data trial.
The findings demonstrate that a single dose of the Company’s virus-like-particles (VLP) adjuvant combined with recombinant peanut allergen successfully protected against anaphylaxis when challenged with peanut. Additionally, when examining symptom scores in the investigational model, those vaccinated with the candidate vaccine exhibited no symptoms compared to placebo. Furthermore, the safety profile of the product was evaluated via an intravenous challenge and found that the vaccine itself did not induce anaphylaxis in peanut sensitised subjects (a hypoallergenic vaccine).
Allergy Therapeutics’ innovative peanut vaccine is focussed on a subcutaneous application of recombinant peanut allergen coupled with its state-of-the-art VLP adjuvant to increase the safety and efficacy profile. This approach aims to induce protective immunity, enabling shorter therapy duration and an enhanced safety profile and thus has significant implications for peanut allergy therapy with the potential to redefine the market for food allergy products. Alternative peanut vaccines in development often require repeated and long-lasting exposure transdermally or orally which may limit patient adherence.
Food allergy represents a significant and strategically important area for the Company, with peanut allergy treatments alone being an $8 billion p.a. addressable market globally. Allergy Therapeutics has the exclusive rights to develop VLP technology, a carrier system to present allergens to the immune system, for allergy vaccines.
Allergy Therapeutics intends to publish full data from this study in a peer-reviewed journal.
