Thermo Fisher (TMO) to Offer Wheat & Sesame Allergy Testing
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. TMO recently gained FDA clearance for the in vitro diagnostic use of ImmunoCAP Specific IgE (sIgE) Allergen Components for wheat and sesame allergies. These advanced blood tests can serve as a diagnostic aid, enabling specialists and other healthcare providers to detect wheat and sesame allergies for patients at risk of a severe allergic reaction. The ImmunoCAP Specific IgE Allergen Components will soon be available across the nation.
The ImmunoCAP blood testing is the most commonly used sIgE test, referenced in more than 6,000 peer-reviewed publications. The tests can detect allergic sensitization to known food allergens like peanuts, eggs, and milk, along with common environmental allergens such as seasonal and perennial, indoor and outdoor.
The ImmunoCAP tests are available in most major laboratories in the United States. They can be ordered for patients of any age, regardless of their skin condition, current medication, disease activity or pregnancy status.
More on the ImmunoCAP Tests
Sesame has recently been included in the FASTER ACT's list of the top nine major food allergens due to its frequent dangerous and unpredictable reactions. To help improve sesame seed allergy diagnosis, the ImmunoCAP Specific IgE Allergen Component Ses i 1 offers a quantitative measurement of sIgE antibodies via a simple blood draw. The test delivers greater clinical specificity than skin prick testing extracts and whole allergen in-vitro sIgE sesame tests. The test results can facilitate the identification of patients with a sesame allergy who are at risk of a severe anaphylactic reaction, attaining better outcomes and patient management.
Per management, the ImmunoCAP Specific IgE Allergen Component for sesame presents a more complete evaluation of a patient’s allergy to clinicians. In addition, it aids in assessing the risks associated with a severe systemic reaction (such as anaphylaxis) and helps patients be better qualified for an oral food challenge.
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Despite being the third most common food allergy, wheat is often misdiagnosed and confused with other digestive disorders like gluten intolerance and celiac disease. In this regard, the ImmunoCAP Specific IgE Allergen Components for wheat can help quantify IgE antibodies to Tri a 14 and Tri a 19 (omega-5-gliadin) components related to severe reactions. The test’s outcomes help confirm IgE-mediated wheat allergy as a cause of symptoms, identify clinically irrelevant sensitizations from grass cross-reactivity and enhance avoidance recommendations.
Management believes that the ImmunoCAP Specific IgE Allergen Components for wheat will enable clinicians to identify true allergies and differentiate between wheat sensitization and grass cross-reactivity. This can help patients avoid unnecessary diet restrictions.
Industry Prospects
Per a report published in GlobeNewswire, the global allergy diagnostics market size is expected to see a CAGR of 10.30% by 2026. Factors such as the rising incidence of allergic diseases due to increased environmental pollution from traffic and various industries, as well as the growing partnerships among companies in the allergy diagnostics industry to develop new testing methods or improve existing procedures, can be attributable to market growth.
Given the market prospects, the latest receipt of FDA clearance for Thermo Fisher’s ImmunoCAP blood tests for wheat and sesame allergies seems opportune.
Other Notable Developments
This month, Thermo Fisher launched its Applied Biosystems HIV-1 Genotyping Kit with Integrase. This research-only assay evaluates positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) samples to detect genetic variants that resist common antiretrovial therapeutics. It is compatible with the company’s Applied Biosystems MagMAX Viral/Pathogen Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit for HIV-1 Blood Spots.
In July 2022, the company launched the Applied Biosystems TaqPath Respiratory Viral Select Panel, which can detect five common viruses within three hours. This CE-IVD-marked molecular assay panel leverages highly-accurate PCR technology to test for Adenovirus, Human Metapneumovirus, Rhinovirus/Enterovirus, and Parainfluenza virus. It also consists of RNase P and positive controls to offer sample-to-result reliability.
Share Price Performance
The stock has outperformed its industry in the past year. It has gained 5.2% against the industry’s 25.6% fall.
Zacks Rank and Key Picks
Currently, Thermo Fisher carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
A few better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space that investors can consider are AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. AMN, Patterson Companies, Inc. PDCO and McKesson Corporation MCK.
AMN Healthcare has a long-term earnings growth rate of 3.2%. The company surpassed earnings estimates in the trailing four quarters, delivering a surprise of 15.7%, on average. It currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
AMN Healthcare has outperformed its industry in the past year. AMN has lost 5.6% against the industry’s 31.6% fall.
Patterson Companies has an estimated long-term growth rate of 7.9%. The company’s earnings surpassed estimates in all the trailing four quarters, the average beat being 16.5%. It currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Patterson Companies has outperformed its industry in the past year. PDCO has lost 0.8% compared with the industry’s 7.6% fall in the past year.
McKesson has an estimated long-term growth rate of 9.9%. The company surpassed earnings estimates in the trailing three quarters and missed in one, delivering a surprise of 13%, on average. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.
McKesson has outperformed its industry in the past year. MCK has gained 82.5% against the industry’s 7.6% fall.
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