Food allergy reactions could be eliminated with regular Xolair injections: researchers

A new drug could let those with severe food allergies breathe a sigh of relief.

Xolair, or omalizumab, was granted priority review by the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday for its use in reducing allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, in people over the age of 1 after accidental allergen exposure.

A study of 165 children between 1 and 17 years old showed that those who were given the shot regularly — either biweekly or monthly — could eat more peanuts, eggs, cashews and milk than those who received the placebo.

While “people taking Xolair would still need to avoid foods they are allergic to,” the injection has been shown to minimize reactions in people who were allergic to peanuts and other common allergens in early trials.

If approved, Xolair would be the first medication of its kind to reduce reactions to multiple food allergens after accidental exposure, according to a press release from the pharmaceutical company Roche Holding.

“Despite the significant and growing health burden from food allergies, treatment advances have been limited,” Dr. Levi Garraway, Roche’s chief medical officer and head of global product development, said in a statement.

“We are proud to partner with the National Institutes of Health and leading research institutions on this groundbreaking study. The FDA’s Priority Review designation acknowledges the unmet need for these patients, and we hope to make Xolair available to as many people as possible living with food allergies in the U.S.”

An estimated 20 million Americans have food allergies — 16 million adults and 4 million children — the most common being shellfish, milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, soy and wheat.

An allergic reaction can be as mild as digestive issues, hives and itching, or as severe as swelling, coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. Reactions can become life-threatening if anaphylaxis occurs, during which the blood pressure severely lowers, airways become constricted and the throat swells.

Xolair is already an FDA-approved treatment for moderate to severe “persistent allergic asthma” in patients ages 6 years and older who do not respond to inhaled corticosteroids, as well as people who experience chronic spontaneous urticaria, or hives, and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.