FDA Approves First Peanut Allergy Drug For Children

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Federal Drug Administration has approved the first drug to help treat peanut allergies in children.

The medication Palforzia can be used for children ages four to 17.

It works by slowly exposing children diagnosed with a peanut allergy to small doses of peanut protein over time.

Eventually, the children should build up a tolerance, mitigating allergic reactions to peanuts, according to the Northern California company Aimmune Therapeutics which developed the medication.

Palforzia is not a cure for peanut allergies but is designed to help make reactions less severe and less frequent.