sublingual immunotherapy / UNC School of Medicine - LARVOL DELTA

Dyads of Au nanoparticles and carbon nanodots confined in plasmonic nanoslits for fluorescence enhancement. (PubMed, Phys Chem Chem Phys) - "Comparison with the flat-gold-film reference measured previously on the same platform shows that the glass reference used here is the conservative choice. This study presents a plasmonic platform with the potential to significantly enhance the optical performance of emitters for biosensing and biomedical applications."

Journal

A New Tool to Assess the Person-Centeredness of Research Measures: The Person-Centered Measure Evaluation Tool (PC-MET). (PubMed, J Appl Gerontol) - "BackgroundNo tool exists to assess whether research measures themselves are consistent with principles of person-centeredness.ObjectiveThis project developed a tool to assess the extent of person-centeredness employed in the development, content, and application of research measure development in the context of measures relevant to persons living with dementia and/or their caregivers.MethodsLiterature review and expert input informed the development of the tool; pilot testing assessed interrater reliability and rater acceptability.ResultsThe tool includes six criteria (each with three subcategories): Co-Creation, Accommodation, Incorporation, Biopsychosocial-Cultural Components, Pragmatism, and Systemic Focus. Kappa agreement was substantial or better (0.61-1.00) for most (16/18) subcategories and for all six criteria (0.74-1.00). Raters found the tool easy to understand and score and the criteria to be relevant and complete.ConclusionsThe resulting tool-named the..."

Journal • Alzheimer's Disease • CNS Disorders • Cognitive Disorders • Dementia

Advancements in the Understanding of the Genetics of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). (PubMed, Curr Psychiatry Rep) - "Rare variant studies implicated specific genes, including CHD8, CELSR3, SLITRK5, and QRICH1...Given the urgent need for improved treatment, genetically informed clinical translation approaches hold promise, including pharmacogenetics and drug repurposing. Recent advances in OCD genetics support a highly polygenic architecture, implicate specific neuro-biological and immune pathways, and provide new opportunities for clinical translation."

Journal • Review • CNS Disorders • Mental Retardation • Mood Disorders • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder • Psychiatry • CHD8

Achieving disease modification with food allergy therapies: An international perspective. (PubMed, J Allergy Clin Immunol) - "While the clinical states of desensitization, sustained unresponsiveness, tolerance and remission may involve partial or complete disease modification in food allergy, no consensus definition exists or relevant biomarker has been identified to date. Future work will require harmonized definitions, innovative trial designs and therapies targeting long-lived immunological memory with continued emphasis on patient-centered outcomes and real-world clinical relevance."

IO biomarker • Journal • Review • Allergy • Food Hypersensitivity • Immunology

Critical Review of Cataractogenesis and Lens Contouring in Radiation Oncology. (PubMed, Adv Radiat Oncol) - "Standard assessment tools-slit-lamp examination and the Lens Opacities Classification System III-are limited by interobserver variability...Standardized lens contouring guidelines and multidisciplinary collaboration with ophthalmology can improve lens-sparing and enhance detection and management of cataracts. Further research is needed to refine dose thresholds, improve assessment methods, and develop strategies to mitigate cataractogenesis."

Journal • Review • Cataract • Oncology • Ophthalmology

Beyond Diagnosis: AI-Based Surgical Risk Assessment in Acanthamoeba Keratitis with Real-World Validation. (PubMed, Ocul Surf) - "This study presents one of the first DL-based approaches to classify AK severity using slit-lamp photography and demonstrate robust generalizability through external validation. The model offers a practical tool for early identification of patients at risk for surgical progression, with potential to improve clinical triage, reduce diagnostic delays, and enhance access to timely care."

Journal • Real-world evidence • Infectious Disease • Keratitis • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology • Transplantation

Synergistic Effect of Dupilumab and Grass Pollen Sublingual Immunotherapy: Sustained Clinical and Immunologic Benefits After Treatment Cessation (EAACI 2026) - "Conclusion Two years of combination therapy with SLIT and dupilumab induces long-term tolerance, with sustained clinical benefit lasting at least one year after treatment discontinuation. The greater increase in grass-pollen-sIgG4 observed with SLIT/dupilumab compared to SLIT alone suggests a synergistic immunomodulatory effect of the combination therapy."

Clinical • Allergic Rhinitis • Immunology • Inflammation

Weekly Combined Symptom Medication Score to Assess Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Burden and Efficacy of Grass Sublingual Immunotherapy Tablet (EAACI 2026) - P2 | "Method Participants in the GRADUATE Trial (NCT04502966, EudraCT: 2018-003456-20), a randomized placebo-controlled trial of grass-SLIT-tablet (75,000 SQ-T) combined with dupilumab, completed annual seasonal wCSMS and validated symptom and quality of life questionnaires, both before and during treatment, as well as out-of-season nasal allergen challenges (NAC). Conclusion The weekly CSMS is a novel weekly combination instrument of nasal symptoms and medication use in seasonal allergic rhinitis. The wCSMS tracks with pollen counts, correlates with validated symptom instruments, and may be a robust outcome measure for future clinical trials in allergic rhinitis."

Clinical • Allergic Rhinitis • Immunology • Inflammation

Rapid and Sustained Suppression of Allergen-Induced Skin Responses After Combination of Dupilumab and Grass Pollen Sublingual Immunotherapy Tablet (EAACI 2026) - "Conclusion Two years of combination therapy with SLIT/dupilumab induce sustained suppression of skin EPR and LPR, one year after treatment discontinuation. The effect of combination therapy was rapid and showed a durable suppression effect of both EPR and LPR in allergic rhinitis patients compared to either SLIT alone or placebo."

IO biomarker • Allergic Rhinitis • Immunology • Inflammation

Artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis and subtype differentiation of infectious keratitis. (PubMed, Eye (Lond)) - "DL models applied to slit-lamp photographs showed high performance for IK detection and clinically relevant differentiation of IK from corneal scars and among major IK subtypes, with external validation supporting generalisability."

Journal • Corneal Abrasion • Herpes Simplex • Keratitis • Ocular Infections • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology

GRADUATE: Grass Pollen Immunotherapy Plus Dupilumab for Tolerance Induction (clinicaltrials.gov) - P2 | N=199 | Completed | Sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) | N=108 ➔ 199

Enrollment change • Allergic Rhinitis • Allergy • Conjunctivitis • Immunology • Inflammation • Ocular Infections • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology

NAD+ augmentation by nicotinamide riboside engages SLIT2/ROBO1 signaling to attenuate Th17 inflammation in psoriasis. (PubMed, JCI Insight) - "Pharmacologic and genetic interrogation in CD4+ T cells and fibroblasts demonstrated that SLIT2, acting through the ROBO1 receptor, inhibited Rho GTPase signaling, thereby attenuating canonical Th17 polarization and fibroblast inflammatory activation. These findings indicate that NAD+ augmentation exerts anti-inflammatory effects in psoriasis through SLIT2-ROBO1-mediated crosstalk between dermal fibroblasts and circulating CD4+ T cells, leading to suppression of Th17-driven inflammation."

Journal • Dermatology • Immunology • Inflammation • Psoriasis • CD4 • SLIT2

Occult capsular injury in suspected traumatic and iatrogenic cataracts: a case report with imaging and pearls for surgical management. (PubMed, SAGE Open Med Case Rep) - "Traumatic and iatrogenic cataracts may conceal occult capsular injury that routine slit-lamp examination and biometry fail to detect, increasing the risk of intraoperative complications...A monofocal intraocular lens was successfully implanted in the capsular bag without complication. This case highlights the importance of linking mechanism, targeted imaging (swept-source OCT or ultrasound biomicroscopy depending on media clarity), and a modified surgical strategy to reduce the risk of posterior capsule rupture and improve intraoperative preparedness."

Journal • Cataract • Ophthalmology

CASCADES: UNC Cashew Sublingual Immunotherapy (clinicaltrials.gov) - P2 | N=45 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | Trial completion date: Feb 2028 ➔ Dec 2028 | Initiation date: Jan 2026 ➔ Jun 2026 | Trial primary completion date: Feb 2028 ➔ Dec 2028

Trial completion date • Trial initiation date • Trial primary completion date • Allergy • Immunology

Novel Weekly Combined Symptom Medication Score to Assess Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Burden and Efficacy of Immunotherapy (AAAAI 2026) - P2 | "Methods Participants in the GRADUATE Trial (NCT04502966, EudraCT: 2018-003456-20), a randomized placebo-controlled trial of grass-SLIT combined with dupilumab, completed annual seasonal wCSMS and validated symptom and quality of life questionnaires, both before and during treatment, as well as out-of-season nasal allergen challenges (NAC). The wCSMS MWPC was 2.11, and the wCSMS MCID between treatment groups was 0.836. Conclusions The wCSMS tracks with pollen counts, correlates with validated symptom instruments, and may be a robust outcome measure for future clinical trials in allergic rhinitis."

Clinical • Allergic Rhinitis • Conjunctivitis • Immunology • Inflammation • Ocular Infections • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology

Durable Clinical Efficacy of Grass Pollen Sublingual Tablet Immunotherapy in Combination with Dupilumab in Adults with Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis (AAAAI 2026) - "In exploratory analyses, SLIT/dupilumab-placebo showed a reduction in TNSS AUC 0-1hour compared to double-placebo at year 3 (19.4% reduction [p=0.013]), however SLIT/dupilumab showed a stronger effect than SLIT/dupilumab placebo (21.1% difference [p=0.028]). Conclusions Two years of combination therapy with grass pollen SLIT and dupilumab significantly enhances long-term tolerance with clinical benefit evident for at least one year after treatment discontinuation."

Clinical • Combination therapy • Allergic Rhinitis • Immunology • Inflammation

The Gut Microbiome in the IgE-Mediated Food-Allergic Patient-A Narrative Review. (PubMed, Nutrients) - "Current FA management primarily involves avoidance of allergen-containing food, and more recently, therapies such as oral immunotherapy (OIT), sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), and the anti-IgE biologic omalizumab. We also explore barriers to their proliferation as part of regular clinical care. We conclude that future research should (1) address how the microbiome interacts with immunotherapies other than OIT, (2) explore the role of novel microbiome-based treatments like FMT as potential adjuvants to existing food allergy therapeutics, and (3) focus on developing standardized protocols and endpoints for microbiome-based therapeutics."

Journal • Review • Allergy • Food Hypersensitivity • Immunology • Transplantation

Characterization of the oral antibody response following peanut SLIT in 1-4-year-old peanut-allergic individuals. (AAAAI 2026) - "Peanut SLIT modified the mucosal immune response by inducing significantly higher peanut-specific and peanut component (Ara h 1, 2, and 3)-specific IgA and -IgG4, compared to those that received placebo SLIT. Interestingly, significantly higher peanut- and component-specific IgA and IgG4 throughout therapy was found in treatment failures, compared to those that achieved remission."

Clinical • Food Hypersensitivity

Similarities in Metabolomic Profiles Between Sublingual (SLIT) and Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) (AAAAI 2026) - "Between multiple age groups and different types of immunotherapy, we found that glycerophospholipids, fatty acids, and amino acids are significantly altered in children who receive SLIT versus placebo. The replication of metabolomic profile enrichment between these independent immunotherapy cohorts could indicate their role in desensitization and potentially even mechanisms of immune tolerance."

Food Hypersensitivity • Immunology

Hoxb8 Mast Cell Activation Test (Hoxb8 MAT) as Predictive Biomarker during Peanut Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) (AAAAI 2026) - "Interestingly, Hoxb8 MAT changes seen at 12 months of SLIT is also suggestive of early desensitization. These data indicate that the Hoxb8 MAT may have potential as a predictive biomarker during peanut SLIT therapy."

Biomarker • IO biomarker • Food Hypersensitivity • LAMP1

Preliminary Safety and Tolerability Results from ALLIANCE, a Phase I/II Trial of a Peanut Sublingual Immunotherapy Tablet (AAAAI 2026) - P1/2 | "There were 2 systemic allergic reactions (non-severe; no anaphylaxis) not treated with epinephrine, a local reaction of gastrointestinal symptoms (moderate intensity; UDR completed) treated with epinephrine, no severe swelling of mouth/throat, and no cases of eosinophilic esophagitis developed. Conclusions Preliminary results indicate the peanut SLIT-tablet is well-tolerated in children, adolescents, and adults."

Clinical • P1/2 data • Dermatology • Eosinophilic Esophagitis • Food Hypersensitivity • Gastrointestinal Disorder • Immunology • Pruritus

Safety of Dose Escalation with Low Concentration Peanut Sublingual Immunotherapy (AAAAI 2026) - "No reported symptoms required epinephrine. Conclusions Symptoms with peanut SLIT beyond local oral symptoms and symptoms requiring rescue treatment were uncommon during dose escalation. Dose escalation with peanut SLIT without multiple dilutions may be safe and may improve feasibility for patients and providers."

Clinical • Dermatology • Food Hypersensitivity • Immunology • Pruritus • Urticaria

Differences in IgE and IgG4 Binding Patterns Before and After Sublingual Immunotherapy (AAAAI 2026) - "A SHAP dot plot was generated with the top-performing model. Conclusions Peptide binding patterns can capture immune changes with treatment, allowing us to identify specific peptides that may aid in evaluating the outcomes of food allergy treatments."

Asthma • Atopic Dermatitis • Food Hypersensitivity • Immunology • Inflammation • Respiratory Diseases

Food Sublingual Immunotherapy in Early Life (AAAAI 2026) - "Organized by the FAED Interest Section."

Allergy • Food Hypersensitivity • Immunology

Ocular manifestations of Clade Ib mpox in four South-Kivu health zones, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (PubMed, PLOS Glob Public Health) - "The assessment included visual acuity measurement, inspection of eyelids and ocular surface with a magnifying glass, portable slit lamp biomicroscopy of the anterior segment, and ophthalmoscopy...The early occurrence of ophthalmic manifestations requires early ophthalmic assessment for timely diagnosis and treatment to achieve better outcomes. Outbreak frontline healthcare workers should be alert of ocular symptoms such as redness, pain, sensitivity to light, and tearing in both suspected and laboratory-confirmed cases and promptly initiate an ophthalmic evaluation."

Journal • Conjunctivitis • Dry Eye Disease • Herpes Zoster • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease • Keratitis • Ocular Infections • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology • Pain • Varicella Zoster