Oral Peanut Immunotherapy With Butyrate Adjuvant (OPIA) in Children: A Randomised, Controlled Trial

Sustained unresponsiveness (SU) remains a major challenge for peanut OIT. The short chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate has the potential to upregulate regulatory T cells (Tregs) to improve long term tolerance. We conducted a superiority randomised controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of the addition of daily oral butyrate to peanut OIT.

Peanut allergic children (aged 10-16 years) were recruited in a single-centre randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial and randomised 2:2:1 to receive 12 months daily peanut OIT with HAMSB (OIT + butyrate), peanut OIT with LAMS (OIT + placebo) or no OIT (control) following an entry DBPCFC. Allocation of HAMSB and LAMS was blinded. Peanut OIT was open. Exit DBPCFC was performed after at least 6 weeks of treatment cessation. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants who tolerated ≥ 1000 mg of peanut protein (cumulative dose 1449 mg) at exit DBPCFC. Adverse events and compliance were recorded. Blood Treg responses and stool SCFA analysis were performed.

A total of 65 participants were enrolled (male 57%, median age 12 years). Of these 26 participants received OIT + butyrate, 26 received OIT + placebo, and 13 received standard care with no OIT (control). After 6 weeks of treatment cessation, 73% (19/26) of OIT + butyrate, 69% (18/26) of OIT + placebo (OR 95% CI = 1.21 (0.36-4.0) for OIT + butyrate relative to OIT + placebo, p = 0.76) and 0% (0/13) of the control group tolerated at least 1000 mg (cumulative dose 1449 mg) of peanut protein. The most common adverse events observed in OIT + butyrate and OIT + placebo were gastrointestinal related (73%). Treatment-related anaphylaxis occurred in eight participants; four in each OIT group (15%). There was no statistically significant difference in AE rate between OIT + butyrate and OIT + placebo.

In a first in food allergy clinical trial setting, the addition of oral butyrate to peanut OIT was well tolerated but did not enhance SU rate in our cohort.

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) - ACTRN12617000914369; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12617000914369; Trial was registered on 22 June 2017.