Douglas Mack, MD, shares details on the ongoing THRIVE study of epicutaneous immunotherapy for peanut allergy

Peanut allergy research is moving into an earlier stage of life as investigators begin evaluating whether treatment during infancy may alter the long-term course of the disease.

DBV Technologies announced that the first participant has been screened in the phase 2 THRIVE trial, an open-label study evaluating the efficacy and safety of the VIASKIN Peanut Patch in infants aged 6 to 12 months with peanut allergy. The study will examine whether early epicutaneous immunotherapy can help infants ultimately achieve ad lib peanut consumption following prolonged treatment.

Douglas Mack, MD, a pediatric allergist at McMaster University in Canada and a principal investigator for THRIVE, said the study builds on growing evidence that infancy may represent a critical period for modifying allergic disease.

"The Thrive study is the first of its kind study looking at implementing immunotherapy with epicutaneous immunotherapy in infants ages 6 to 12 months of age," Mack said.

The study follows observations from earlier research, including the Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) trial, which demonstrated that early peanut introduction can reduce the development of peanut allergy in high-risk infants. Investigators hope THRIVE will determine whether treatment after allergy has already developed can similarly influence long-term outcomes.

"The scientific rationale for why we're using the Viaskin peanut patch in infants 6 to 12 months of age is because I think the way we understand peanut allergy is that it develops very early in life, but it progresses, and I think that there may be a way that we can intervene early enough to try to influence the trajectory of the disease and manage the long-term complications of the disease," Mack said.

THRIVE is enrolling infants with confirmed peanut allergy who will wear the VIASKIN Peanut Patch daily for 36 months while maintaining a peanut-free diet. After three years of treatment, participants will undergo an oral food challenge to determine the next phase of the study. Depending on individual responses, some children will discontinue patch therapy and begin peanut consumption, while others will continue treatment alongside peanut introduction.

The protocol defines ad lib peanut consumption using prespecified criteria that include tolerated intake during food challenges, ongoing peanut consumption patterns, and caregiver-reported outcomes. The goal is for some participants to consume peanut as desired during the study's fourth year.

Mack said the extended treatment period reflects what has been learned from other forms of allergen immunotherapy.

"We know that for immunotherapy three years is probably a very good amount of time to try to really teach the body to teach it to learn this new language of tolerance, and I think that's exactly what we're trying to do," he said.

Unlike studies focused primarily on desensitization, THRIVE is designed to evaluate whether treatment initiated during infancy can produce durable changes that more closely resemble immune tolerance.

"I think this is a unique study, because what we are trying to do is once again induce long-term change and try to get these kids to function almost like patients that never had peanut allergy to begin with," Mack said.

DBV Technologies officials noted that THRIVE expands the company's pediatric development program following positive clinical findings in children aged 1 to 3 years and 4 to 7 years. The company believes evaluating treatment in younger infants may provide additional insight into whether early intervention can change the natural history of peanut allergy.

Mack said investigators hope the study will ultimately generate an approach that is both clinically meaningful and practical for families.

"That's really what we're trying to do. It's intervene early, put in the work to treat for those 3 years, and then try to apply this in a way that is practical and doable for these families," he said.

**Editor’s Note: This is part 1 in a 2-part interview. Check back tomorrow for part 2.

Reference

DBV Technologies. DBV Technologies Announces First Participant Screened in THRIVE Phase 2 Study of the VIASKIN® Peanut Patch in Infants ages 6 through 12 Months. Press release. June 2, 2026. Accessed Jul 9, 2026.