The First-Ever Pill for Peanut Allergies Is Coming

Life-changing news for those who suffer from peanut allergies—apparently, the first-ever drug to treat peanut allergies is on its way.

According to the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), peanuts are one of the top food allergies in the country, and the rates of tree and nut allergies have tripled since 1997. But a new clinical trial is showing promising results among those tested, giving hope to peanut-allergic individuals everywhere.

Aimmune Therapeutics, a biotech company in the US, conducted a year-long clinical trial in which they administered daily capsules of their peanut flour to 500 children and teens. By the end of the year, they found that 67 percent of the participants were able to tolerate 660 mg of peanut protein (about two nuts), as compared to the 4 percent of participants on a placebo powder.

But that doesn’t mean you should go buy some peanut protein powder and try it on yourself at home, because even in the controlled trial (with specifically formulated powder), some children faced adverse reactions that caused them to drop of the study.

And, as you can see from the results, the drug wouldn’t allow your peanut-allergic friend to chow down on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but it would help reduce a life-threatening reaction if they’re exposed to peanuts. Which, when we’re talking about life or death, is huge.

Aimmune is hoping for FDA approval later this year, and is likely to cost—according to the company’s chief executive—$5,000 to $10,000 for the first six months of treatment, and then a cool $400 a month after that. So fingers crossed the only thing inaccurate about these findings is the price, because nobody should have to go bankrupt trying to prevent anaphylactic shock.