A London hospital has launched a “hugely significant” new clinical trial aimed at preventing children from developing food allergies.
The SEAL (Stopping Eczema and ALlergy) trial, at the Evelina Children’s Hospital in Westminster, is available for babies aged from birth to 12 weeks if they have dry skin or eczema.
The trial hopes to investigate the dual allergen exposure hypothesis, which suggests that exposure to food antigens through the skin at a young age is responsible for respiratory or food allergies in later life.
Scientists believe that food molecules from peanuts or milk enter through tiny microscopic holes in the dry skin of babies. This prompts an allergic response, as the immune system believes the molecules are invading parasites.
Researchers hope to be able to prevent children from developing a food allergy by restoring the skin barrier and managing inflammation. It is hoped that this will help prevent the transfer of food allergens through the skin.
The trial will see two groups of babies assigned to separate treatment strategies. One group will be managed reactively by doctors, with flare-ups of eczema addressed when they arise. The other group will follow a proactive regimen, where topical moisturisers are prescribed for daily use, and topical steroids are used proactively for eczema flare ups.
Gideon Lack, professor of paediatric allergy at Evelina London Children’s Hospital and King’s College London, told the Standard: “The significance of this trial is potentially huge. If we can properly heal the skin barrier then we can prevent it from being damaged and stop the progression of eczema. It should allow us to prevent the majority of food allergies from developing at an early age.”
The UK has some of the highest prevalence rates of allergic conditions in the world, with over a fifth of the population affected by one or more allergic disorder, according to Allergy UK.
Prof Lack said that the trial could have a “huge public health impact” and that researchers hoped to be able to reduce allergies by 50 per cent.
Each participant will be on the trial for two years, and during that time will be reviewed three times by the team at the Evelina London’s specialist allergy research centre.
Dr Farhana Rahman's eight-week-old daughter, Yusra, is currently being screened with the hope of starting the trial.
Farhana, from south Croydon, said: "My hope is that this trial could reduce the risk of my baby developing food allergies, something she may be at higher risk of since I have eczema and allergic conditions myself.
"But ultimately as a mum I just want to do what's best for my child, so I feel reassured knowing my baby and I will be in safe hands with world-leading experts guiding treatment and specialists supervising our care every step of the way."
The trial is led by Harvard University, with four trial sites across the US.
