FDA approves Thermo Fisher Ara h 6 peanut sensitization blood test

The FDA has approved Thermo Fisher Scientific’s new blood test, ImmunoCAP Specific IgE for in vitro diagnostic use. The results of the test can help medical practitioners, clinicians and allergists to predict more accurately which patients could be at risk from life-threatening sensitization to Ara h 6 which is a protein component in peanuts that can cause severe allergic reactions. The test is part of a line of assays for detecting specific peanut allergen components, and could be used as part of a tailored allergy treatment or management plan. It could even possibly reduce the need for oral food challenges which is a testing method employed by healthcare professionals which involves feeding a patient a specific amount of a certain food to see if it triggers an allergic reaction.
Rebecca Rosenberger, MMSc, PA-C, senior manager, clinical affairs and education, Thermo Fisher Scientific, said: “Testing a patient’s sensitivity to Ara h 6 can play a critical role in understanding the likelihood of a future life-threatening reaction. Adding the Ara h 6 test to the existing ImmunoCAP peanut component assays enables us to provide a more complete view of a patient’s overall peanut sensitization, including whether a patient is at risk for cross-reactivity.”