shrimp oral immunotherapy

Shrimp oral immunotherapy (OIT) is an investigational therapeutic approach designed to induce desensitization in individuals with shrimp allergy, a prevalent food allergy in the Asia-Pacific region. The treatment involves the controlled, gradual administration of increasing amounts of shrimp protein, specifically derived from the Pacific white shrimp (*Litopenaeus vannamei*), to modulate the patient's immune response. The primary goal is to increase the eliciting dose (ED) required to trigger an allergic reaction, thereby reducing the risk of severe systemic reactions upon accidental exposure. Immunologically, the therapy aims to shift the immune profile from a Th2-mediated allergic state to a more tolerant state, characterized by a decrease in allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) and a concomitant increase in allergen-specific IgG4 (sIgG4) levels, particularly against major allergens like tropomyosin (Pen a 1).

Other names

shrimp OITPacific white shrimp oral immunotherapy