Allergy Therapeutics PLC (AIM:AGY, FRA:HHU) has announced a favourable outcome of a test of its peanut allergy vaccine candidate, “VLP Peanut”.
The study, which took place at Imperial College London, evaluated the group's short-course VLP (virus-like particle) Peanut and aimed to demonstrate the vaccine candidate does not elicit an allergic reaction in patients upon dosing.
The study resulted in a successful primary outcome, with the trial demonstrating a significant 24-fold reduction in basophil (a type of white blood cell) activation and histamine release after blood samples were challenged with VLP Peanut compared to a recombinant peanut extract, signifying the hypoallergenic potential of the vaccine candidate.
These positive clinical findings add to the group's strong pre-clinical research package, which has demonstrated sustained immunologic protection following peanut exposure after just one single vaccination, Allergy Therapeutics said.
"We are pleased to have reached this important milestone in the development of our ground-breaking and disruptive vaccine candidate, VLP Peanut. Through our collaboration with Imperial College London and the dedication of our clinical and R&D teams at Allergy Therapeutics, we are another step closer to offering a potentially transformative treatment option for one of the most dangerous allergies. I am proud of the work we do in helping to transform patients' lives and look forward to our upcoming IND [investigational new drug] submission at the end of this year and expected initiation of our Phase I PROTECT trial in 2022,” said Manuel Llobet, the chief executive officer of Allergy Therapeutics.
Shares in Allergy were up 4.3% at 28p in early deals.
