Aravax

INNOVATING IMMUNITY - ARAVAX’S
PVX108 BREAKS GROUND IN SAFE
PEANUT ALLERGY TREATMENT

Peanut allergies among children have long been a familiar issue, with approximately 3% of the infant population affected*. Oral immunotherapy for peanut allergies is a well-established treatment method, but exposing patients to the allergens or extracts can have more risks than is necessary.

Aravax is developing a novel disease-modifying treatment for peanut allergy., Their lead product, PVX108, uses a peptide immunotherapy to reset allergen-specific T-cells to restore tolerance to food allergens. Because it does not contain whole peanut proteins, PVX108 greatly reduces the risk of treatment-induced acute reactions, which is a significant concern with current treatments. 

PVX108 has shown promising results in Phase 1 clinical safety trials that began in 2017. It was well-tolerated by participants and showed signals of immunological changes that are associated with improved tolerance to peanut protein. These results were recently published (doi:10.1111/all.15966).

Aravax received the green light to proceed with Phase 2 trials of PVX108 2022. These trials commenced in adolescent patients with peanut allergy in Australia in 2023. The trial was then expanded to include trial centres in the U.S. early 2024, and currently, the trial is recruiting children aged 4-11 in both countries. This expansion into the US market significantly boosts the reach and impact of Aravax’s treatment, positioning the company to tap into a potential billion dollar annual peanut allergy market.

Website: aravax.com.au

^{*Murdoch Children’s Research Institute}

_{Year established: 2015
Technology: Biotech and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Innovation pathway: Monash University spinout
Monash University: Central Clinical School
Investors: Brandon BioCapital,  Novartis Venture Fund, Tenmile, Breakthrough Victoria,  Uniseed, UniSuper, and Agati Capital.
Development: Initiated a phase-two clinical trial of PVX108, Aravax's lead product for the treatment of peanut allergy in Australia
Employees: 5-10 FTE}