We had 8-year-olds who had never eaten a peanut butter sandwich because an inconclusive skin test at age 2 made parents too afraid to try," Dr. Chen recalls. "We knew we needed a better way.
The Challenge
Dr. Sarah Chen, Director of the Children's Allergy & Asthma Center, faced a growing problem with traditional peanut allergy testing methods. Despite using standard skin prick tests and serum IgE measurements, her practice was seeing:
- High false-positive rates leading to unnecessary dietary restrictions in 30-40% of cases
- Anxious families concerned about oral food challenges (OFCs)
- Limited capacity for supervised OFCs - only 2-3 per week due to time, staffing, and safety requirements
- 6-8 month waitlists for definitive diagnosis
- Missed diagnoses where children unnecessarily avoided peanuts for years
The Solution
In January 2024, the practice partnered with ATANIS Biotech to integrate FAST-PASE® testing into their diagnostic workflow. The ex vivo mast cell activation test offered:
- Blood serum-based testing with no allergen exposure to patients
- 95% diagnostic accuracy compared to 60-70% with traditional methods
- Results within 3-5 business days
- Quantitative, reproducible data
Implementation
Phase 1: Pilot Program (January - March 2024)
- 50 pediatric patients with suspected peanut allergy
- FAST-PASE® testing alongside traditional methods
- Comparison of results with clinical outcomes
Phase 2: Full Integration (April 2024 onwards)
- FAST-PASE® became standard second-line test after initial screening
- Staff training on sample collection and result interpretation
- Patient education materials developed
The Results
Clinical Outcomes (6-month data)
- 95% accuracy rate confirmed in practice
- False-positive rate reduced from 35% to under 5%
- Eliminated 80% of previously required OFCs
Patient Impact:
- 47 children safely reintroduced peanuts into their diet after FAST-PASE® showed no true allergy
- 23 children with confirmed allergies identified for treatment planning
- Zero severe reactions during guided reintroductions based on FAST-PASE® results
Looking Forward
The Children's Allergy & Asthma Center now plans to expand FAST-PASE® testing to other food allergens including tree nuts, eggs, and milk. Dr. Chen is also participating in a multi-center study on using the technology to predict immunotherapy outcomes.
"This is the future of allergy diagnosis," Dr. Chen concludes. "Precise, safe, and backed by data patients and providers can trust."
About ATANIS Biotech
ATANIS Biotech AG is revolutionizing allergy diagnosis through innovative ex vivo testing technology. Based in Switzerland, ATANIS provides FAST-PASE® testing to healthcare providers, researchers, and pharmaceutical partners worldwide.
