Trial shows omalizumab effective in treating multiple food allergies

Findings from a clinical trial indicate that omalizumab treatment effectively increases the reaction threshold for peanut and other common food allergens, even in children as young as 1 year old.

The trial enrolled 180 participants aged 1 to 55 years who were allergic to peanuts and at least 2 other specified foods, including cashew, milk, egg, walnut, wheat, and hazelnut. Participants were then randomly assigned to receive either omalizumab or a placebo over a 16 to 20-week period, followed by repeated food challenges.

The primary endpoint of the trial was the ability to ingest 600 mg or more of peanut protein without experiencing dose-limiting symptoms. Key secondary endpoints included the consumption of other allergenic foods without adverse reactions. The results showed that 67% of participants receiving omalizumab met the primary endpoint, compared to only 7% in the placebo group.

Participants treated with omalizumab demonstrated significant improvement in the consumption of cashew, milk, and egg, with success rates ranging from 41% to 68%, compared to minimal success in the placebo group. Safety assessments showed no significant differences between the 2 groups, except for a higher incidence of injection-site reactions in the omalizumab group.

Reference
Wood RA, Togias A, Sicherer SH, et al. Omalizumab for the Treatment of Multiple Food Allergies. N Engl J Med. 2024 Feb 25. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2312382. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38407394.