Children's Hospital Colorado Launches Sublingual Allergy Program

The program utilizes a treatment regimen developed by Top9Proteins, which requires initial supervision at the hospital’s Food Challenge and Research Unit before transitioning to daily home administration. The therapy currently targets milk, egg, peanut, cashew, walnut, almond, hazelnut, and sesame allergies, with potential future expansion to include soy and wheat. While younger children often show more robust responses to the treatment, the hospital considers patients of all ages for enrollment.

Dr. Allison Hicks, director of Food Immunotherapies, noted that the program offers families a tailored approach to managing allergic conditions. Patients undergo an initial evaluation by an allergist, followed by a virtual consultation to weigh sublingual methods against other options like oral immunotherapy. Although these treatments are not currently FDA-approved for this specific use, they are available by prescription through the hospital's pharmacy. While the therapy can significantly mitigate the risk and severity of reactions, it is not a cure, and families must continue to maintain standard allergy precautions. Temporary mouth itching remains the most frequently reported side effect for those undergoing the regimen.