Food Hypersensitivity

Allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs), a potentially life-threatening side effect of blood transfusions with unclear mechanisms, may be linked to food allergies in pediatric patients as per a recent study by scientists from Japan. They found that ATRs may be triggered by the presence of allergens in the donor's blood, influenced by their pre-donation diet. These findings could pave the way for safer blood transfusions through the development of preventive measures and countermeasures for ATRs. Allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs), a potentially life-threatening side effect of blood transfusions with unclear mechanisms, may be linked to food allergies in pediatric patients as per a recent study by scientists from Japan. They found that ATRs may be triggered by the presence of allergens in the donor's blood, influenced by their pre-donation diet. These findings could pave the way for safer blood transfusions through the development of preventive measures and countermeasures for ATRs. Blood transfusions are often life-saving procedures in various medical settings. They are required not only after severe blood loss due to surgery or trauma but also as standard treatment for certain blood disorders like anemia and sickle cell disease. However, blood transfusions can have serious side effects, with allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs) being particularly prevalent among children. Although scientists believe ATRs are caused by immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated type 1 allergy (or "immediate hypersensitivity"), the responsible allergens are not always known. Against this backdrop, a research team composed of Dr. Ryu Yanagisawa of Shinshu University Hospital, Japan, alongside Dr. Minoru Tozuka and Dr. Yasunori Ito from Nagano Children's Hospital, Japan, set out to find more answers. In their latest study, published online in the journal Allergy on January 11, 2024, the researchers focused their attention on what might have appeared to be an unlikely suspect. Dr. Yanagisawa, who led the study at the University's Division of Blood Transfusion, explains: "In our previous study, we found that pediatric patients with food allergies were characteristically more prone to ATRs. Considering that food allergies are also more prevalent in children, we decided to investigate whether the food the donor ate before giving blood could be associated with the development of ATRs in children with food allergies." Between May 2022 and December 2023, the researchers collected blood samples from over 100 pediatric patients with diagnosed food allergies toward either eggs, wheat, or milk. They also collected blood from two healthy donors before and after substantial ingestion of these food products and extracted the serum. Shortly after collecting blood from each allergic patient, the researchers conducted basophil activation tests (BATs) by exposing the sample to the corresponding sera. As the name implies, these tests assess the activation of basophils, a particular type of white blood cell that is strongly involved in allergic reactions. Interestingly, in patients with egg allergy, BAT levels were significantly higher when the blood was exposed to the serum of donors who had ingested eggs. Moreover, serum obtained from blood donor samples collected four hours after egg ingestion resulted in markedly higher BAT levels than those collected two hours after egg ingestion. In contrast, the results for milk and wheat were more varied, with BAT levels only being elevated after exposure to the serum of one of the two donors. To gain deeper insights and lend more weight to the results, the researchers decided to run BAT tests with sera from sixteen additional donors. "Although some differences were observed among donors, blood samples obtained after egg ingestion generally activated basophils in cases of egg allergy with high egg white-specific IgE levels," comments Dr. Yanagisawa. "Similarly, elevated BAT levels in patients with milk and wheat allergies were also associated with allergen-specific IgE levels." Overall, the evidence obtained through this study strongly suggests that ATRs could be triggered by the food consumed by donors prior to a blood donation. Although further analyses and experiments will be needed to confirm this with more certainty, these efforts constitute a necessary first step towards elucidating the mechanisms underlying ATRs. "In future, it could be possible to predict in advance who is likely to suffer from an ATR. Given enough time, preventive measures and countermeasures to ATRs could be developed, leading to safer blood transfusions," concludes Dr. Yanagisawa. It is hoped that this study puts scientists on the right path toward cracking the mysteries of ATRs to improve the outcome of blood transfusions.

SAN CARLOS, Calif.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Siolta Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company, has announced the completion of a $12 million Series C financing round. The round, co-led by SymBiosis and Khosla Ventures, with participation of all existing investors, reflects enthusiasm for Siolta's approach to developing live microbiome-based therapeutics. The funds raised in this round will support the further clinical development of Siolta’s lead product, STMC-103H, a defined-consortia Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) focused on preventing the onset of atopic diseases in newborns. This financing is timely as Siolta continues to explore the potential of microbiome-based treatments in the areas of maternal and infant health. Dr. Nikole E. Kimes, CEO and Co-founder of Siolta Therapeutics, commented on the funding: "This Series C financing is a key step for Siolta as we continue to develop STMC-103H in the clinic. We are excited to push the boundaries of current therapeutic development, pursuing a transformative approach that targets the underlying cause of disease, and we are committed to bringing safe and effective treatment options to patients. We appreciate the ongoing support of our investors, which is critical in our efforts to fulfill our mission.” Aleksei Cremo, Vice President of SymBiosis, said, "Our continued investment in Siolta Therapeutics reflects our confidence in the company’s ability to advance the development of STMC-103H and this novel class of therapeutics with the potential to transform the lives of the millions of newborns at risk of developing allergic diseases. The Siolta team continues to prove themselves as leaders in the microbiome therapeutics space through innovative approaches and efficient operations.” “We invested early in Siolta Therapeutics based on their bold plan for developing live biotherapeutic products that target the underlying cause of disease,” noted Samir Kaul, founding partner and managing director at Khosla Ventures. “Siolta’s novel approach is a game changer for drug development, and we are excited to continue partnering with them.” The Siolta Therapeutics team is also excited to share that the company has received an NIH grant to further its preclinical program STMC-106 for necrotizing enterocolitis. This funding will also support a collaboration with Johns Hopkins University to help select the clinical candidate to be evaluated in future trials. About Siolta Therapeutics Siolta Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech company developing defined-consortia live biotherapeutic products that target the core drivers of disease. By leveraging our proprietary Precision Symbiotics Platform™, we have successfully advanced multiple programs into clinical and preclinical development. Our lead program, STMC-103H, is in phase 2 development for the prevention of atopic diseases, including atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and asthma. We are also advancing two preclinical programs, STMC-105 and STMC-106, targeting recurrent bacterial vaginosis and necrotizing enterocolitis indications for which no FDA-approved products exist. For more information, please visit us at www.sioltatherapeutics.com .

NEW YORK, March 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intrommune Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to developing a patient-friendly treatment platform for people with peanut and other food allergies, today announced the appointment of Dr. Jonathan Rich to its board of directors and Hem Pandya as Executive Chairman of the board of directors. “We are delighted to welcome Hem Pandya as the Executive Chairperson of Intrommune’s Board of Directors and Dr. Jon Rich as a board member,” said Michael Nelson, CEO, Intrommune Therapeutics. “Hem and Jon bring decades of business and pharmaceutical leadership experience to our Board as we transition from a bootstrapped startup to a development stage biotechnology company.” “With the successful completion of the Phase 1 / 2 OMEGA clinical trial in peanut allergic adults, Intrommune has made significant progress. I look forward to supporting the development of Intrommune’s demonstrated safe and convenient food allergy therapies,” said Hem Pandya. Mr. Pandya brings over 25 years as an experienced pharmaceutical executive with a broad spectrum of commercial, operational, strategic and corporate development experience. Mr. Pandya currently serves as a strategic advisor to several healthcare companies including Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (DRL). Most recently he served as the Head of the Generic Products Division for Mayne Pharmaceuticals (a publicly traded Australian Company) and was instrumental in the sale of the division to DRL in 2023. Previously he served as an advisor to AmeriSourceBergen’s Global Sourcing Group. He was the co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Vensun Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a generic specialty pharmaceutical company which was sold to Strides Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2019. Prior to Vensun, he was the President & Chief Executive Officer of Teligent (IGI) Inc. Along with serving as Executive Chairman for Intrommune, Mr. Pandya currently serves on the Board of Directors for Exchange Health, LLC, Senores Pharmaceuticals and on the Board of Advisors for Anodyne Nanotech, Inc. He also serves as a Director for non-profit organizations including the Boys and Girls Club of America of Mercer County, the Isles Foundation, and the Zimmerli Museum at Rutgers University. “I am excited to support Intrommune’s team in their development of innovative treatments for food allergies delivered simultaneously as a patient brushes their teeth, which will provide options in an area with enormous unmet medical need,” said Jon Rich. Dr. Rich is the retired CEO and Chairman of Berry Global, a Fortune 500 packaging company. Earlier in his career, he held executive positions with Goodyear and General Electric. He currently serves as a board member of Novolex LLC and is a Visiting Lecturer at the Johnson/Dyson School of Business at Cornell University. About Peanut and Other Food Allergies Food allergies affect more than 220 million people worldwide, including approximately 33 million people in the United States. Management of food allergies currently focuses on avoidance of exposure to triggering foods, though often such foods, including peanuts, are common ingredients in food products and therefore difficult to avoid. Many people with peanut allergy are accidentally exposed and experience potentially life-threatening reactions, including anaphylaxis, each year. Unfortunately, food allergy remains an area of tremendous unmet medical need. About Oral Mucosal Immunotherapy™ Oral Mucosal Immunotherapy (OMIT) utilizes complex patented biochemical processes to stabilize and deliver allergenic proteins in a fully functional toothpaste. By simply brushing your teeth, the allergenic proteins are delivered to immunologically active areas of the oral cavity with the greatest potential for allergy desensitization. Success with allergy immunotherapy hinges on consistent exposure of a patient’s immune system to gradually “desensitize” the patient to the specific allergy trigger over time. OMIT presents advantages over other approaches to allergy immunotherapy due to its targeted delivery and simplified administration, which supports the potential for improved adherence. About Intrommune Therapeutics Intrommune, dedicated to improving and protecting the lives of people with food allergy, is developing the revolutionary oral mucosal immunotherapy (OMIT) treatment platform for food allergies. OMIT is a patient-friendly solution for over 220 million people worldwide, including 33 million people in the United States, who suffer from life-altering food allergies. Intrommune Therapeutic’s lead product, INT301, has completed its Phase 1 clinical trial. All Phase 1 results along with future studies are intended to support OMIT as being a safe, effective and convenient therapy for patients who suffer from peanut allergy. For more information on Intrommune Therapeutics, please visit Contact: Stuart Loesch Intrommune Therapeutics (484) 942-0323 sloesch@intrommune.com Jen Zoller Green Room Communications (973) 975-5421 jzoller@grcomms.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements are identified by certain words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “aim,” “will likely result,” “believe,” “expect,” “will continue,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “contemplate,” “seek to,” “future,” “objective,” “goal,” “project,” “should,” “will pursue” and similar expressions or variations of such expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect the company’s current expectations about its future plans and performance. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions and estimates which could be inaccurate and which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from those anticipated or expressed in any forward-looking statement made by the company. The company disclaims any obligation or intent to update the forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. This release does not contain or constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction.