DBVT - Is Aimmune Therapeutics a Buy?
On March 16, Aimmune Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AIMT) announced that the first patients in the U.S. had begun treatment with its recently approved immunotherapy for peanut allergies, Palforzia. On the same day, investors learned that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had questions about the efficacy data for a rival peanut allergy treatment in development by DBV Technologies (NASDAQ: DBVT). Will this lead to a delay for DBV? Will Aimmune get a longer head start than expected, making it an attractive option for investors?
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The FDA approved Palforzia on Jan. 31 for children between the ages of 4 and 17 with a confirmed peanut allergy. The treatment, a powder containing the peanut allergen, seeks to gradually desensitize the individual to small amounts of peanuts that may be hidden in food. It is given in addition to a peanut-free diet. The powder is mixed into semi-solid food for the patient to then ingest.