Current developments in the treatment of peanut allergy

Abstract

Peanut allergy is a potentially life-threatening disease because it leads to severe allergic reactions, especially in children but also in adults. So far, allergen avoidance is the most effective therapy for treating peanut allergy. In this article, current developments of peanut allergy specific immunotherapy are critically discussed based on the existing literature. These include sublingual, epicutaneous and oral peanut immunotherapy. Nonspecific treatment approaches with new-targeted antibodies such as anti-IgE (omalizumab) or anti-IL-4/IL-13 receptor antibodies (dupilumab) can also be used to treat peanut allergy with regard to the mode of action of these antibodies. Multiple studies are already available for omalizumab and are currently performed with dupilumab. Whether and which therapies for the treatment of peanut allergy will be available on the market in the future is not only relevant in terms of clinical effectiveness in the sense of a long-term stable increase in the threshold level, but also in terms of the tolerability in everyday life of affected patients.