Perspectives in allergen immunotherapy: 2017 and beyond.

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Pharmacology
• Regulatory Science

Background:

• The Future of the Allergists and Specific Immunotherapy (FASIT) workshop convenes global experts to discuss allergen immunotherapy (AIT).
• The 2017 workshop focused on recent advances and regulatory considerations in AIT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current developments and future directions in allergen immunotherapy.
• To identify unmet needs and propose solutions in AIT research and clinical practice.
• To discuss the impact of regulatory changes on AIT availability and research.

Main Methods:

• The content is based on discussions from the FASIT workshop held in February 2017.
• Key topics included personalized AIT, novel adjuvants, delivery systems, new molecules, vaccines, regulatory impacts, clinical trial challenges, and pediatric considerations.
• Expert panel discussions and insights were synthesized for this review.

Main Results:

• Advances in personalized AIT, adjuvants, delivery systems, and vaccine development were explored.
• Regulatory challenges, including the impact of European Directive 2001/83, were discussed.
• The role of allergen exposure chambers and pediatric AIT studies were highlighted.

Conclusions:

• The review identifies significant unmet needs in allergen immunotherapy research and clinical application.
• Potential solutions and future directions for AIT development and standardization are proposed.
• Upcoming EAACI guidelines are expected to standardize allergy treatment practices.