Safety Concerns Halt Peanut-Allergy Drug

By PAUL ELIAS

SAN FRANCISCO – Biotechnology company Genentech Inc. has stopped development of a promising peanut-allergy treatment because of safety concerns raised during human experiments, a company spokesman said Tuesday.

Genentech officials stopped development of the drug last month after two volunteers had a more severe allergic reaction to peanuts than expected, spokesman Neil Cohen said.

Volunteers in the trial were given peanut protein to gauge how severe their allergies were and as a way to measure the effectiveness of the experimental drug, called Xolair.

Cohen said the drug had nothing to do with the severe reactions and the South San Francisco-based Genentech and its two corporate partners intend to continue the peanut-allergy program after consulting with the Food and Drug Administration.

"We remain committed," Cohen said.

The company had planned to test Xolair on 150 volunteers, but stopped after just 14 had completed the experiment, Cohen said.

Last year, Genentech and Novartis Pharma AG agreed to pay $6.6 million to Tanox Inc. to settle a bitter legal dispute related to Xolair, which has been approved for asthma treatment. All three companies will share Xolair’s profits.

Xolair is a genetically engineered protein designed to block the same molecule that plays a crucial role in setting off both asthma and allergy attacks.

The drug doesn’t cure the allergy, but is designed to allow sufferers to avoid reactions caused by accidental contact with peanuts.

Between 50 and 100 people die a year because of these allergies, and thousands more suffer severe reactions such as constricted breathing and dramatic swelling. Allergic toddlers are especially at risk because they can’t consciously avoid the surprising number of foods that contain peanut ingredients.

Genentech stock rose $1.90 a share, or 2.2 percent, to close at $89.36 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Tanox’s shares closed up 14 cents to $17.12 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, while Novartis shares gained 67 cents to $55.57 on the NYSE.