Though it might not be a cure, a new toothpaste aims to de-sensitize those with peanut allergies to adverse reactions they experience.

 

“Our goal in developing the oral mucosal immunotherapy (OMIT) platform for food allergies is to find a long-term solution for the 220 million, including 9 million U.S. adults and 6 million U.S. children, who suffer from this life-altering condition,” states Intrommune Therapeutics, a New York, NY- based life science company on its website.

A recent report by  for BusinessInsider.com discusses the benefits for children:

…because so many with severe allergies are kids, the stigma of being sick can be a lot to handle. But what if instead of having to take a pill, all they had to do was brush their teeth as they would any other day?

“They don’t have to feel like they’re sick,” Danya Glabau, Intrommune’s director of medical affairs, told Business Insider. “They’re not doing anything different from their friends.”

A study that illustrates the use of therapy with respiratory allergies (like allergies to pollen or mold) is expected to be published this month, according to Ramsey’s report.

In the meantime, Intrommune plans to:

  • develop a peanut with a consistent makeup (that way, they know just how much of the peanut protein is going into the toothpaste).
  • start clinical trials
  • seek FDA approval, starting with peanuts, but expanding out to the other top food allergies, such as soy, wheat, milk, and eggs
  • choose a kid-friendly flavor

Learn more by viewing a SNNLive (Stock News Now Live) interview with Michael Nelson, CEO of Intrommune Therapeutics at the Source Capital 2016 Disruptive Growth & Healthcare Conference in New York City, NY: