London: In a medical breakthrough, the first clinical trial of its kind has shown that adults with severe peanut allergy can be desensitized through daily exposure to small, gradually increasing amounts of peanut flour.
The Grown Up Peanut Immunotherapy (GUPI) trial, led by researchers at King’s College London, demonstrated that 67 percent of participants could consume the equivalent of five peanuts without a reaction after months of controlled exposure.
Historically, peanut allergy treatment has focused on children, but this new evidence suggests adults may also benefit, expanding the window for therapeutic intervention.
Professor Stephen Till, who led the research, emphasized the immense burden peanut allergies place on sufferers, who must avoid peanuts entirely and be prepared to treat severe reactions with adrenaline.
GUPI trial
The trial enrolled 21 adults between the ages of 18 and 40, each with a diagnosed peanut allergy. Participants began with extremely low doses, less than 1 percent of a single peanut, administered in food under clinical supervision.
Those who tolerated the initial exposures continued taking a daily dose at home for two weeks. Over time, doses were increased every two weeks at the clinic until participants reached a daily intake of 1 gram, roughly equivalent to four peanuts. This maintenance dose was continued for three months.
After the treatment period, 67 percent of participants were able to safely consume at least 1.4 grams of peanut protein, around five peanuts without any allergic reaction. The results were published in the journal Allergy.
While some participants completed the trial in as little as eight months, others took up to 14 months due to individual response rates and interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which extended the timeline to 23 months for some.
Despite the positive results, participants were still classified as allergic and were advised not to exceed their daily dose or stop carrying adrenaline auto-injectors (EpiPens).
Dr. Hannah Hunter, lead author and allergy dietitian at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said that the trial had been ‘life-changing’ for many participants who no longer live in constant fear.
One participant, Chris Brookes, 28, who had been allergic since infancy, now eats four peanuts each morning to maintain immunity and shared that the risk of accidental exposure no longer causes daily anxiety.
Professor Adam Fox, Chair of the National Allergy Study Group at King’s College London, said that the findings challenge the long-held belief that oral immunotherapy is only effective for children.
The Professor affirmed that while earlier treatment may yield better outcomes, adults can also significantly benefit, with this study marking a meaningful step toward wider treatment options.
A larger multi-centre trial will be necessary before this approach can be offered broadly, but the promising results pave the way for new hope in adult allergy treatment.
ALSO READ | Kashmir in mourning: Gunmen kill 26 tourists in Pahalgam
