Researchers close to ‘cracking’ cure for peanut allergies
By Annabel Mansfield
HEALTH A new vaccine reprograms the bodies of people who are allergic to peanuts so that their immune systems don’t mistakenly identify peanuts as an allergen, eliciting an allergic reaction.Peanut allergies could become a thing of the past as breakthrough research from UniSA develops a radically novel vaccination that’s poised to cure the potentially life-threatening condition.
> New funds to help treat burns, investigate drug resistance and prevent child abuse
Watch the story on 7 News Adelaide.Peanut allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly identifies peanuts as an allergen signalling immune cells to release chemicals resulting in adverse reactions that can range from mild hives, cramps, nausea and vomiting to life threatening anaphylactic reactions that require immediate medical attention. Severe allergic reactions can include impaired breathing, swelling in the throat, a sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness, and even death.
Globally, the incidence of food allergies and related life-threatening anaphylaxis is increasing, with the World Allergy Organization reporting 220-550 million people are affected.
Peanuts are one of the most common food allergies and the most likely food to cause anaphylaxis or death. In Australia, there is particularly high prevalence of peanut allergies with one in 200 adults, and almost three in every 100 children affected.
The Advertiser 7 December 2019“The impact peanut allergy can have on a family is all-consuming, especially given the very real risks to a child’s heath,” Dr Eldi says.Project lead Dr Preethi Eldi says the new peanut allergy vaccine has great potential to change lives.
“Parents are constantly protecting their child from being exposed to peanuts in all forms – from popular breakfast cereals and school snacks, to biscuits, cakes and even health foods – whether at home, school, or in social situations. And, it means being vigilant and imposing very stringent dietary restrictions, not only for the child, but often, also for family members.
“If we can deliver an effective peanut allergy vaccine, we’ll remove this stress, concern, and constant monitoring, freeing the child and their family from the constraints and dangers of peanut allergy.”
The new peanut allergy vaccine is formulated by packaging bits of peanut proteins into the Sementis Copenhagen-vectored (SCV) virus platform. SCV is a ground-breaking technology developed by Dr Paul Howley, Chief Scientific Officer, Sementis and UniSA’s Professor John Hayball, Head of UniSA’s Experimental Therapeutics Laboratory.
Prof Hayball says the peanut allergy vaccine tricks the immune system into seeing peanut allergens in a new way, so that the body responds normally instead of generating an allergic reaction.
“We’re effectively reprogramming the body to see peanuts as an entity that can be cured by a vaccine, rather than an allergen that elicits an allergic reaction,” Prof Hayball says.
“Already, the vaccine is showing signs of success, shifting peanut-specific immune responses in mouse models of peanut allergy, and in preliminary in vitro vaccination-like studies using human blood samples from clinically-confirmed peanut allergic people.
“The next steps are to gain further human samples and confirm the efficacy of the vaccine. This will demonstrate human translational capacity and will significantly increase the chances of success in future clinical trials.”
Dr William Smith, Head of the Clinical Immunology and Allergy unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and lead clinician involved in the study, says that despite global efforts and several other ongoing clinical trials, the development of immunomodulatory therapeutics is proving extremely challenging.
“There are varying degrees of ‘clinical’ desensitisation of peanut allergy, but to date, none have succeeded in safely and completely eradicating peanut allergy,” Dr Smith says.
“An effective vaccine for use in peanut allergy must be safe to administer with minimal adverse events, have a short immunisation schedule to improve compliance specifically with peanut allergic children and, most importantly, induce life-long protection.
“The preliminary data is encouraging and favours that the vaccine can meet all these criteria. It’s very exciting research and we are very positive to take the next step into what we hope will be a cure for peanut allergy.”
New funds to help treat burns, investigate drug resistance and prevent child abuse
UniSA has been awarded five Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation grants for 2020, totalling $377,849:
- Professor Allison Cowin has been awarded $99,852 to develop an innovative therapeutic approach for the treatment of infected burns in children, one of the most common injuries suffered by children and one of the top three causes of death under five years.
- Professor Leanne Dibbens has received $100,000 to investigate drug resistance in children suffering seizures and psychiatric disorders caused by potassium channels. The team has identified naturally occurring molecules in the body that could deliver ground-breaking new treatments.
- Dr Preethi Eldi will be breaking new ground in food allergies, finding new ways to treat Australia’s growing food-induced anaphylactic reactions. Awarded $38,000, the project will test the effectiveness of a new immunotherapeutic vaccine to promote peanut allergen desensitisation.
- Dr Emmanuel Gnanamanickam has received $40,000 to address and prevent child abuse in Australia by carrying out the first ever assessment of welfare dependency outcomes post child abuse and neglect, seeking to drive impetus to invest in prevention strategies.
- Professor Leonie Segal will explore early in life outcomes of children whose mothers have been involved in the child protection system. Awarded $100,000, the project will establish protective or detrimental maternal factors to disrupt intergenerational disadvantage and encourage positive childhood outcomes.
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