Potential "cure" for food allergies in the works...

[Missy]

"

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

The plot to cure food allergies​

It’s a story of good and evil, as the chief scientific officer of drugmaker Regeneron explained on the company’s earnings call last week. The human immune system produces five types of antibodies to protect against foreign invaders. The vast majority of those antibodies are what are known as IgG — “G for good antibodies,” as CSO George Yancopoulos put it. Those antibodies patrol the bloodstream and clear out potential infections. IgE antibodies, on the other hand, he explained, are the evil ones. IgE antibodies fight off bigger invaders like parasites, but can sometimes get overzealous. When that happens, suddenly something as seemingly harmless as a peanut can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction. For people with severe food allergies, the problem is too many of the evil antibodies and not enough good ones. Regeneron already has a blockbuster drug, Dupixent, that is good at tamping down IgE antibodies once they’re already in action. It’s used to treat autoimmune disorders including eczema and asthma. Now the company wants to go a step further by cutting off the production of the meddlesome antibodies at the source, creating what Yancopoulos has called a potential “cure” for allergies. The treatment, now in the early stages of development, works by using low doses of a cancer medicine to knock out the cells that produce IgE antibodies. In theory, that would coax the immune system into producing IgG antibodies in their stead, allowing patients to safely consume whatever foods used to put them at risk of anaphylaxis. It worked on animals, as Regeneron reported in Science last year. Now the company is recruiting human patients for a clinical trial to find out whether it can do the same for people — as well as whether stemming the production of IgE antibodies is safe. It’s going to take years of rigorous study to determine whether Regeneron’s idea will be safe and effective. But if it works, the benefits “would be pretty miraculous,” says Scott Sicherer, an immunologist who leads Mt. Sinai Hospital’s Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute. “The word ‘cure’ is not completely outlandish here,” Sicherer says. “If you have no allergy-producing cells and you can keep it that way, one can theorize that there wouldn't be an allergy and you could just eat the food.” Food allergies affect more than 30 million Americans, including an estimated one in 10 adults and one in 13 children. Current therapies, including one approved earlier this year, reduce the risk of anaphylactic reactions, but allergy sufferers still have to avoid exposure and carry epinephrine just in case. “What we have now is more of a shield,” says Ruchi Gupta, a pediatrician at Northwestern University’s Center for Food Allergy and Asthma. “If you accidentally ingest, your threshold is increased, but you can’t just go out and order something with the food you’re allergic to.” Regeneron’s idea “would be an incredible game-changer” if it proves to work, Gupta says. First, though, Regeneron has to prove that tinkering with the body’s natural defenses won’t have unintended consequences, which is hardly a guarantee. — Damian Garde "

 

[RunningwithScissors]

But what if our bodies need these IgEs to fight off parasites or other things? I'd be worried about the unintended consequences of killing mine off.

I have an extreme food allergy to some types of mushrooms. Its not as bad as the people with peanut allergies, but if I mistakenly eat shiitakes for example, I have to go to the hospital for steroids, and even then am in misery for almost two weeks with severe hives.

 

[LilAlex]

...and it will not be cheap! Prevalence of allergies is quite high. Who will pay for this?

It looks like it sent their stock up 15 - 20% (I'm having a little trouble lining up the data) and with a $100+ Bn market cap, folks seem to think it increased the value of the company by nearly $20 Bn (although it could be her products, too) -- that's a lot drug cost for payors to bear in the coming years.

 

[Missy]

I started Dupixent approximately four weeks ago for my unrelenting asthma and for me it has been a miracle med. At least for now. it can cause some nasty side effects as can most meds. But it is helping dampen my overactive immune system and right now it has been a lifesaver. I had been struggling for many months with my breathing and constant dry cough from persistent asthma (emergency inhalers, steroids and nebulizing every few hours provided very little relief) and within weeks this quieted it down. The benefits (for me) outweigh the risks...for now. It can be, however, a double edged sword and of that I am aware

 

[Missy]

...and it will not be cheap! Prevalence of allergies is quite high. Who will pay for this?

It looks like it sent their stock up 15 - 20% (I'm having a little trouble lining up the data) and with a $100+ Bn market cap, folks seem to think it increased the value of the company by nearly $20 Bn (although it could be her products, too) -- that's a lot drug cost for payors to bear in the coming years.

Yup. Dupixent is thousands of dollars per injection in the USA. I was ready for a fight with my insurance company but you know I was in bad shape because they approved it immediately. First time ever I was able to get an expensive med covered without a fight with the insurance company

But what if our bodies need these IgEs to fight off parasites or other things? I'd be worried about the unintended consequences of killing mine off.

I have an extreme food allergy to some types of mushrooms. Its not as bad as the people with peanut allergies, but if I mistakenly eat shiitakes for example, I have to go to the hospital for steroids, and even then am in misery for almost two weeks with severe hives.

It really comes down to risk/benefit ratio. There are pros and cons. And intended results and unintended results. It's all about how severely it impacts your life and how willing you are to take that potential risk. There truly is no "perfect" solution for many conditions and you just do the best you can with what is available and thank goodness for medical research and science

 

[lulu_ma]

Thanks for sharing this @missy ! This could be a game changer in the future for one of my kids.

I am glad that the drug is providing you with some relief!

 

[Gloria27]

This sounds good, it will help people, but why not find what's causing all these allergies?

No? No interest?

Noooo because there's big money in pesticides, perfumes and all the additives and cheap food that's almost non food.