Vaccine hope for those with peanut allergy

An experimental vaccine has ­offered hope for thousands of people with a life-threatening peanut allergy.

An experimental vaccine has given new hope to those suffering an peanut allergy.

An experimental vaccine has ­offered hope for thousands of people with a life-threatening peanut allergy after showing promising results in trials.

One injection of the antibody treatment allowed them to eat a nut’s worth of peanut protein two weeks later.

The early evidence, published in the journal JCI Insight, shows the vaccine is “a safe, effective and rapid food allergy treatment”, scientists at Stanford University in California said.

Experts believe peanut allergy rates have doubled and possibly tripled over a few decades. Almost three in every 100 Australians have a peanut allergy. In those with severe allergies, the immune system misidentifies peanut protein as an invader. The body gears up to expel it but attacks itself.

THE TIMES