An experimental patch could prevent severe reactions in toddlers with peanut allergies, according to NBC News.
A late-stage clinical trial of more than 200 young children with peanut allergies found that after a year of treatment with the patch, 67 percent of participants could tolerate small amounts of peanut protein. In addition, the group experienced fewer severe allergic reactions overall after completing treatment.
The Viaskin Peanut patch from the French pharmaceutical firm DBV technologies contains 250 micrograms of peanut protein — about 1/1000th of a peanut, according to CNN. The toddlers wore the patches between their shoulder blades for 22 hours each day for a year, with new patches applied daily.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, peanuts are among the food allergens most commonly associated with life-threatening reactions. Currently, there are no approved treatments for peanut allergies in children under the age of four. The FDA has approved one treatment, the powder-based Palforzia, to reduce the risk of severe allergies in children between the ages of four and 17.
According to the National Institutes of Health, early exposure is key to preventing severe allergies. Current NIH clinical guidelines recommend that babies who have not already tested positive for peanut allergies should eat peanut-enriched foods when they start other solid foods — between four and six months of age.
