2015年3月14日讯 /生物谷BIOON/--美剧里经常有这样的桥段：剧中人因为误食花生被送进医院急救甚至险些为此丢掉性命。生活大爆炸中的霍华德就是这么一个悲催的人。（上图容易引起某些观众的不适，小编谢罪~）其实这并不是艺术作品的夸张，对于花生过敏的人群来说，几粒花生就会迅速引起面部和喉咙肿胀，阻碍呼吸，导致休克甚至死亡。花生过敏是食物过敏中导致死亡人数最高的一种。
据统计，90%因食物过敏引发的死亡都是由花生导致的，仅在美国，每年就有约100人死于花生过敏引发的过敏性休克。而受过敏影响最为严重的莫过于妇女和儿童。开发一种有效的抗过敏药物也是市场的迫切需求。
因此，一直以来对过敏药物研发都一直是众多生物医药公司研究的重点。
最近，美国加州圣马特奥市的生物医药公司Allergen Research Corporation完成了总额达8000万美元的B轮融资，用于开发治疗花生过敏的免疫疗法AR101。去年，公司已经完成了这种药物的临床二期研究并收获了积极的研究数据。今年公司计划利用这笔资金推进AR101的临床三期研究。而前期的出色表现也使得这种药物获得了FDA的青睐。相关管理人员表示一旦Allergen Research Corporation的临床三期研究按计划结束，FDA将对这种药物启动加速审批的渠道。
研究人员介绍称，传统的抗过敏药物如肾上腺素等不同，AR101采用极低剂量的源自花生的抗原蛋白来逐渐"培训"免疫系统并最终达到抗原脱敏的效果。另一方面，Allergen Research Corporation公司还将进行关于牛奶、鸡蛋过敏的相关研究。
详细英文报道：
Food allergy upstart Allergen Research Corporation (ARC) raised an $80 million B round to get its lead candidate into late-stage development, pushing ahead with a treatment for peanut allergies.
The company, headquartered in San Mateo, CA, is developing an oral peanut allergy treatment that uses a slow, steadily up-dosing regimen of pharmaceutical-grade peanut proteins to reeducate the immune system. Unlike postreaction treatments like epinephrine, ARC's immunotherapy gradually diminishes the body's response and eventually results in allergen desensitization, the company said.
The new money--courtesy of Foresite Capital, Longitude Capital, Fidelity, Aisling Capital, Adage Capital and RA Capital Management--will fund a Phase III trial of the immunotherapy, dubbed AR 101. The oral treatment met its goals in a placebo-controlled Phase II trial last year, ARC said, and the FDA has granted AR 101 its fast-track designation, promising a speedy review once the company wraps up Phase III.
The sizable B round comes on the heels of a $17 million Series A closed in 2013. Beyond AR 101, the cash will also help advance immune system-training treatments for egg and milk allergies, ARC said, with new clinical trials slated to begin in the coming year. The company previously disclosed plans to eventually target soy, wheat, shrimp, fish and tree nut allergies.
"People living with food allergies, many of whom are children, are at risk of life-threatening reactions to common everyday foods," CEO Stephen Dilly said in a statement. "... We are dedicated to developing standardized products for desensitization so that people and families living with food allergies can gain peace of mind."
In tandem with the financing, Foresite CEO Jim Tananbaum and Aisling Partner Stacey Seltzer will take seats on ARC's board.