Nestlé Health Science/Aimmune Therapeutics collaborate on desensitising food allergy responses

5–8% of children and 1–2% of adults suffer from food allergies — there are estimated to be 6 million people across Europe and the US allergic to peanuts and around 250 million across the globe suffering from food allergies. These allergies are significant in the food and beverage industries as processors formulate, manufacture and label products that either avoid allergens or advise consumers that allergens are present.

Extensive independent scientific research has demonstrated that most patients with food allergies can become desensitised to the allergens, or proteins, in a particular food through the oral administration of gradually increasing amounts of the allergens. Aimmune Therapeutics uses this approach in its Characterized Oral Desensitization ImmunoTherapy (CODIT), which aims to provide a transformative treatment option that goes beyond the current standard of care of diligent avoidance of food allergens and carrying epinephrine for administration in case of accidental exposure.

Now, Nestlé Health Science has announced it has invested US$145 million (15%) in Aimmune Therapeutics. The two companies have also entered into a strategic collaboration to accelerate the development of oral immunotherapy biologics designed to desensitise people with food allergies and protect them from the consequences of accidental exposure.

Aimmune’s lead CODIT product peanut allergy candidate, AR101, is a characterised, regulated, oral biological drug product containing the protein profile found in peanuts designed to desensitise patients with peanut allergy. The ongoing Phase III trial is expected to deliver results late next year. Per the terms of the Nestlé Health Science/Aimmune collaboration agreement, Aimmune will retain the rights to AR101 and all other pipeline assets developed with the CODIT approach.