Peanut allergy is 1 of the most common food allergies, affecting about 2% of people in the United States. There are currently 2 immunotherapy treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for children and adults with peanut allergy:

• PALFORZIA – a form of oral immunotherapy where people with a peanut allergy eat small amounts of peanut powder mixed with food every day to help their immune system react less strongly to peanuts.
• Omalizumab (Xolair®) – a shot given once or twice a month that helps block a part of the immune system that causes allergic reactions. Xolair is approved for all food allergies, including but not limited to peanut.
  
  

A Potential New Treatment Option for Peanut Allergy

VIASKIN® is another treatment option that is being developed. VIASKIN is a patch placed on the skin. The patch releases a tiny amount of peanut protein — about 1/1,000th of a peanut — through the skin each day. This small dose is picked up by special immune cells that carry it to nearby lymph nodes. It helps the body become less sensitive to peanuts without the protein entering the bloodstream.

Previous research shows that the VIASKIN peanut patch is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for children with a peanut allergy. A recent study shows the treatment is safe and effective long term.

In the study, children aged 4-11 years old were treated with the patch for up to 60 months (5 years). The results showed that the longer the children used the patch, the better they responded to peanut exposure. The number of kids responding to the treatment went from 39% after 1 year to 73% after 5 years.

The treatment also helped the body produce more peanut-specific antibodies. This means the immune system is reacting better to peanuts. After 5 years, 2/3 of the kids were able to increase the amount so they could eat 3 to 4 peanuts before reacting.

The study also found that nearly all (93%) of the kids stayed with the treatment for the entire study, which shows that the patch is safe and well-tolerated. These results suggest that using the VIASKIN peanut patch may help kids build a tolerance to peanuts. This could make it a possible option for managing peanut allergies. Having another option available for peanut allergy is important to ensure people and families managing food allergy have options that meet their needs, lifestyles, and preferences.

We Want to Hear from You!

VIASKIN is not yet approved by the FDA. But the maker, DBV Technologies, is seeking approval. The treatment is facing obstacles that could delay its availability to people with peanut allergy. Without continued investment, this promising treatment may never become available to the people who need it. This could also slow progress in researching and developing treatments for other food allergies.

It is helpful for FDA to hear directly from families living with peanut allergies. Sharing your peanut allergy story can help families like yours have more treatment options available. We invite you to share your daily life, the challenges you face, and how having new treatment options would make a difference. Using the form below, you will be able to contact the FDA directly as the agency makes its decision to approve this new treatment option.

Please fill out the form below and use the “Click to customize” button to share your food allergy story with the FDA.

Medical Review: March 2025 by Matthew Greenhawt, MD. Dr. Greenhawt is a member of AAFA's Medical Scientific Council. He is also a member of the medical advisory board for DBV Technologies, a member of the Joint Taskforce on Allergy Practice Parameters, and the senior associate editor for the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.