Allergy Therapeutics has announced the progress of its Phase I PROTECT trial for its virus-like particle (VLP)-based peanut allergy vaccine candidate, VLP Peanut. The company has completed dosing of healthy volunteers in the first two cohorts and has received approval from the external safety review committee to begin dosing in peanut allergic subjects. The trial consists of two parts: Part A, an open-label study of healthy subjects, and Part B, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of peanut allergic patients. The full results from the trial are expected in 2024. Allergy Therapeutics CEO Manuel Llobet commented on the progress, stating that a safe and effective vaccine for peanut allergy could bring a paradigm shift in treating the condition.
The PROTECT trial builds on the findings from the VLP001 study, which showed that VLP Peanut significantly reduced certain allergic responses compared to the major allergen Ara h2. This indicates a promising safety profile with reduced potential to induce allergic reactions. Allergy Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on the treatment and diagnosis of allergic disorders. The company sells proprietary and third-party products in major European countries and is developing a broad pipeline of products, including vaccines for grass, tree, and house dust mite allergies, as well as a peanut allergy vaccine in pre-clinical development.