About Peanut Allergy

 

Peanut allergy is a rapidly growing problem in countries around the world.  About one person in every fifty is allergic to peanuts, and many go on to suffer a serious, potentially life-threatening reaction to peanuts which cannot be predicted or prevented. Fatalities are fortunately rare, but allergy sufferers live in constant fear of an accidental peanut encounter.

 

Normally, our immune system does not react to peanuts when we are exposed to them. However, in people that suffer from peanut allergy, the immune system recognises peanuts as potentially dangerous which triggers an immune response. 

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About PVX108

 

PVX108 comprises a mixture of peptides that represent sequences from peanut allergens which are critical for recognition by peanut-specific T cells. Unlike other peanut allergy immunotherapies, PVX108 does not contain the peanut proteins (allergens) which cause severe allergic reactions.  PVX108 is being developed as a safe and simple therapy to restore tolerance and reduce the risk of severe allergic reactions upon accidental exposure to peanuts. 

 

PVX108 therefore offers the following advantages over other approaches:

• It has negligible risk of activating basophils and mast cells in people with peanut allergy

• It does not require careful dose escalation or daily administration

• It precisely targets the underlying cause of disease, providing significant potential for long-lived therapeutic effects 

 

The technology underpinning PVX108 was developed by Professor Robyn O’Hehir, Professor Jennifer Rolland and Dr Sara Prickett at Alfred Health and Monash University, in Melbourne Australia. Aravax is grateful to the Australian Food Allergy Foundation, the Alfred Hospital Trust, and the National Health and Medical Research Council for their early support of our research.