Nestlé, DBV develop milk allergy test patch

NESTLE HEALTH SCIENCE is to commercialise a new patch-test diagnostic tool for allergy to cow’s milk proteins in a new partnership with the patch’s developers DBV Technologies.

Cow’s milk protein allergy, or CMPA, can have serious health effects on the 2-3% of young babies who are affected by it, but it is difficult to diagnose with certainty. The symptoms, which include eczema, constipation and diarrhoea, are non-specific and can have other causes. French company DBV’s ready-to-use MAG1C patch delivers biologically active milk protein compounds directly through the skin to test for an immune response, using its proprietary Viaskin technology.

Nestlé will pay US$10m upfront to DBV for exclusive commercialisation rights to the MAG1C patches. Under the terms of the partnership, DBV will be responsible for the development stages of the patches, including industrialisation and regulatory submissions, and will receive payments for development milestones, as well as sales milestones and royalty payments if the MAG1C patches are successfully launched. CBV could receive up to €100m from Nestlé.

Nestlé Health Science says that the patches will complement its existing range of nutritional products for babies and young children with CMPA, including Althéra, Alfaré and Alfamino.

“This innovation can become the breakthrough diagnostic for CMPA. Early diagnosis and nutritional intervention helps get infants happily back on the path of healthy development, alleviate the anxieties of parents, and reduce healthcare costs. Our reach in the field of paediatric allergy makes Nestlé Health Science an ideal commercialisation partner for DVB’s innovative diagnostic patch. This collaboration is another step in our strategy of advancing the role of nutrition through science-based innovation,” said Greg Behar, CEO of Nestlé Health Science.

DBV is currently also carrying out clinical trials of other Viaskin-based patches to test for peanut and egg allergies.