Treating Allergies with Antibodies

Mukund Maurya

Allergies are a very perilous part of life for many people in the world. In the United States, 1 in every 13 children has a food allergy. Furthermore, out of all the allergies, peanut allergies are the most common. Approximately 5.6 million children in the United States have some form of allergy. Of those, 1.6 million children have a peanut allergy. Peanut allergy is the most common allergy. Severe allergies are very dangerous because if the person comes in contact with the product, then it is possible to experience rashes, itching, swelling, or even anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe condition that results in constriction of the trachea, which prevents breathing. If left untreated, anaphylaxis can cause death.

Sources:-https://media.snacksafely.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Lurie-Graph.jpg Prevalence of Food Allergy and Access to Epinephrine for Children in the US

The only available method to treat allergies is oral immunotherapy. In oral immunotherapy, a minute amount of the allergens is given to the patient. This amount is periodically increased under the supervision of a medical specialist. This type of therapy provides resistance to a small dosage of the allergen (for example, one peanut) in 6 to 12 weeks. The disadvantages are the risk of an allergic reaction along with the time duration. An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system misidentifies a harmless substance for a dangerous invader. The immune system produces IL-33, which initiates a cascade resulting in the release of Ig3. Ig3 is the primary cause of the allergic reaction. Depending on the type of allergy, the body may have different types of symptoms.

Researchers at Stanford created an antibiotic injection known as Etokimab. This treatment targets IL-33, thus preventing the immune system from producing histamines. Histamines are substances released by your immune system as an inflammatory response. Etokimab was found to reduce various aspects of an allergic reaction ranging from itching and swelling to an anaphylactic shock. To proceed with the injection, the researchers conducted clinical trials on 20 individuals with a severe allergic reaction to peanuts. Then, they gave 15 participants the injection that included the antibiotic treatment, while the other 5 were given a placebo. All of the patients were given 275mg of peanut protein (roughly as much as one nut). The results were shocking; not only did the injection prove to be very effective but also very long-lasting. 11 of the 15 individuals had no allergic reaction, while all of the placebo individuals had an allergic reaction. The next test that was conducted checked the duration of the effects, which lasted to approximately 44 days and had a 53% success rate.

The injection appears to have no severe side effects on the users and drastically reduces the time required by the individuals to adjust to the peanut protein dosage. The time taken by oral immunotherapy would be six weeks in the best-case scenario, whereas the antibiotic treatment would take only two weeks. The injection is still in phase three of clinical trials with a broader audience. According to Kari Nadeau, MD, Ph.D., professor of medicine and pediatrics at Stanford, this treatment can be used to treat all types of allergies.

References:

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