Preventive Treatment for Peanut Allergies Succeeds in Study

UNDATED (AP) – The first treatment to help prevent serious allergic reactions to peanuts may be on the way. A company said Tuesday that its daily capsules of peanut flour helped sensitize children to nuts in a major study.

Millions of children have peanut allergies, and some may have life-threatening reactions if accidentally exposed to them.

Doctors have been testing daily doses of peanut flour, contained in a capsule and sprinkled over food, as a way to prevent that.

California-based Aimmune (AIM-yoon) Therapeutics says that 67 percent of kids who had its treatment were able to tolerate about two peanuts at the end of the study, compared to only 4 percent of others given a dummy powder. Full results will be presented at a medical meeting next month.