Aravax - peanut allergy
Allergy to peanuts is a life-threatening condition for many individuals and there currently is no cure. Monash researchers working in conjunction with Alfred Health have developed a specific peptide immunotherapy as a safe treatment for peanut allergy, based on experience with other allergies such as grass pollen. The novel technology uses selected fragments of peanut proteins to switch off allergic responses, and does not involve the nut proteins that cause the life-threatening reactions that make many other proposed peanut vaccines unsafe. Unlike other vaccines, this vaccine would also not need life-long daily dosing.
Aravax is a spinout company that has been created to develop this exciting new treatment, with support from the NHMRC, the Alfred Hospital Trust, the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation and nearly $5M from the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund.