$12m boost for peanut allergy treatment

Minister for Economic Growth Tim Pallas has announced Breakthrough Victoria’s $12 million investment into Aravax as part of a $66 million funding round to develop the novel peanut allergy treatment.

Aravax is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on revolutionising food allergy treatment through its lead product, PVX108. The immunotherapy uses synthetic peptides to mimic key parts of peanut proteins with the potential to retrain the immune system to tolerate peanuts without causing allergic reactions.

This unique treatment is the result of more than 25 years of research led by Allergy and Clinical Immunology Professor Robyn O’Hehir at Alfred Health and Monash University. 

Professor O'Hehir, who is a co-founder of Aravax, said treatments like this one are vital for peanut allergy sufferers, who live in constant fear of suffering an anaphylactic reaction. The funding boost will enable expanded clinical trial access across Australia and the United States. 

“While still early days in clinical translation, the data suggest that monthly doses of our peanut therapeutic could transform how we treat patients even with severe peanut allergy,” Professor O'Hehir said.

Aleisha Bannan has suffered peanut anaphylaxis her entire life, and was involved in the Phase 1 clinical trials. As a mum to baby Stevie, 9 months, Aleisha has increased risk of exposure - with Stevie required to have a weekly dose of peanut butter to ensure she doesn't develop an allergy. Aleisha is hopeful that this treatment could prove life-saving for people like herself in future.

"I am incredibly excited and grateful that treatments like this are coming through," she said.

"Every day we have to make sure I'm not exposed to peanuts."

Aravax has received approval from the U.S Food and Drug Administration and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration for Phase 2 trials in both countries. Previously, Phase 1 clinical trials were successfully completed in 2018 in Victoria in adults with peanut allergy.

The new round of trials will take place across clinics in Australia and the United States to evaluate the treatment’s effectiveness in children.

“This investment is an important step forward in advancing healthcare for millions of Australians with food allergies and introducing life-changing health technology to the world," Minister Pallas said.