The findings provide hope for long-term relief from allergic reactions
A recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests that a novel virus-like particle vaccine targeting peanut allergy may have the potential to provide a safe and effective alternative to existing treatments.
Researchers developed a vaccine using a cucumber mosaic virus-like particle expressing the peanut allergen component Ara h 2. This approach aims to reprogram the immune system to tolerate peanut exposure rather than trigger allergic reactions.
The study assessed the vaccine’s tolerogenic properties in blood samples from six peanut-allergic children. Researchers evaluated the vaccine’s ability to modify immune responses by analyzing dendritic cells, T cells, and B cells. Additionally, an open-label phase 1 trial tested the safety of the vaccine in six peanut-allergic adults through a skin prick test.
The findings showed that the vaccine had beneficial biochemical properties and was fit for use in further clinical studies. The study also found that the vaccine was safe and well tolerated, with all patients tolerating a high dose. Further clinical trials will explore the vaccine’s effectiveness at providing long-term relief from allergic reactions.
Layhadi, J. A., Starchenka, S., De Kam, P. J., Palmer, E., Patel, N., Keane, S. T., Hikmawati, P., Drazdauskaite, G., Wu, L. Y. D., Filipaviciute, P., Parkin, R. V., Oluwayi, K., Rusyn, O., Skinner, M. A., Heath, M. D., Hewings, S. J., Kramer, M. F., Turner, P., & Shamji, M. H. (2025). Ara h 2-expressing cucumber mosaic virus-like particle (VLP Peanut) induces in vitro tolerogenic cellular responses in peanut-allergic individuals. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 155(1), 153–165.