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Caryn Foster Durham
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
(804) 256-7766
media.inquiries@kaleo.com
Caryn Foster Durham
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
(804) 256-7766
media.inquiries@kaleo.com
Richmond, Va. (January 24, 2024) — Kaléo, a privately-held pharmaceutical company, is partnering with Brittany Mahomes, co-owner of the Kansas City Current soccer team and mom of two young children with food allergies, to raise awareness of how to recognize and respond to a life-threatening food allergy reaction in infants and toddlers.*
Last summer, Brittany and her husband Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, had a food allergy scare when their son Bronze had a severe allergic reaction to peanuts, resulting in a trip to the emergency room. Brittany has learned a lot since the incident and is speaking out about her family’s experience to help other parents prepare for an allergic emergency.
“As a mom of two young children with food allergies, I know how important it is to be prepared for an allergic emergency,” said Brittany. “When my son Bronze had a severe allergic reaction to peanuts, I thought he was just tired and fussy. It quickly became more obvious that something was wrong, but it was hard to initially recognize the symptoms and he was too young to tell us what was happening. I’m so glad that both of my kids have since been prescribed AUVI-q, the only epinephrine auto-injector made for infants and toddlers.”
AUVI-q® (epinephrine injection, USP) is the first and only FDA-approved epinephrine auto-injector for infants and toddlers 16.5 to 33 pounds. The calm voice and clear instructions of AUVI-q can help parents and caregivers administer epinephrine without hesitation or fear. The device even reminds users to call 911.
Food allergies are a growing public health concern affecting 1 in 13 children in the U.S.1 While they can be diagnosed at any age, most food allergies appear in early childhood.3,4
“Brittany’s story is a familiar one for far too many families and we’re proud to partner with her to raise awareness and help parents feel confident in their food allergy game plan,” said Kaléo Chairman and CEO, Michael Wells. “Kaléo remains committed to educating parents and caregivers on how to recognize and respond to the signs of a severe allergic reaction in young children.”
“Anaphylaxis, or a severe allergic reaction, can happen within minutes of exposure to an allergen and requires immediate treatment with epinephrine,” said Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.* “As a pediatrician and mother of a child with food allergies, I know how scary these reactions can be. Remember that you are not alone and that there are steps you can take to help protect your child. Talk to your doctor about food allergy management, an action plan and when and how to use your epinephrine auto-injector. Share this information with your school and other caregivers.”
To watch Brittany’s story and learn more about how to be prepared for a severe food allergy reaction, visit www.FoodAllergyGamePlan.com.
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* Brittany Mahomes was compensated for her participation in this campaign
* Dr. Gupta is a paid advisor for Kaléo
Indication
AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection, USP) is a prescription medicine used to treat allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are at risk for or have a history of serious allergic reactions.
Important Safety Information
AUVI-Q is for immediate self (or caregiver) administration and does not take the place of emergency medical care. Seek immediate medical treatment after using AUVI-Q. Each AUVI-Q contains a single dose of epinephrine. AUVI-Q should only be injected into your outer thigh, through clothing if necessary. If you inject a young child or infant with AUVI-Q, hold their leg firmly in place before and during the injection to prevent injuries. Do not inject AUVI-Q into any other part of your body, such as into veins, buttocks, fingers, toes, hands, or feet. If this occurs, seek immediate medical treatment and make sure to inform the healthcare provider of the location of the accidental injection. Only a healthcare provider should give additional doses of epinephrine if more than two doses are necessary for a single allergic emergency.
Rarely, patients who use AUVI-Q may develop infections at the injection site within a few days of an injection. Some of these infections can be serious. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms at an injection site: redness that does not go away, swelling, tenderness, or the area feels warm to the touch.
If you have certain medical conditions, or take certain medicines, your condition may get worse or you may have more or longer lasting side effects when you use AUVI-Q. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, especially medicines for asthma. Also tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, especially if you have asthma, a history of depression, thyroid problems, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart problems or high blood pressure, have any other medical conditions, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Epinephrine should be used with caution if you have heart disease or are taking certain medicines that can cause heart-related (cardiac) symptoms.
Common side effects include fast, irregular or ‘pounding’ heartbeat, sweating, shakiness, headache, paleness, feelings of over excitement, nervousness, or anxiety, weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, or breathing problems. These side effects usually go away quickly, especially if you rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
Please see the full Prescribing Information and the Patient Information at www.auvi-q.com.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
References
1. “Food Allergies.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/foodallergies/index.
2. “Facts and Statistics.” Food Allergy Research & Education. www.foodallergy.org/resources/facts-and-statistics. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
3. “Food Allergy.” American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/food/. Accessed 4 Jan. 2024.
4. Gupta RS, Warren CM, Smith BM, et al. The public health impact of parent-reported childhood food allergies in the United States. Pediatrics. 2018;142(6):e20181235. doi:10.1542/peds.2018-1235. Available at: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/143/3/e20183835/37237/Gupta-RS-Warren-CM-Smith-BM-et-al-The-Public
About Kaléo (kuh-LAY-oh)
Kaléo is a fully integrated pharmaceutical company dedicated to creating innovative healthcare solutions that can help protect and empower patients to live fuller, bolder lives. With our patient-centric approach and unwavering commitment to quality and advanced manufacturing techniques, we have set the industry standard for drug-device combination product development. Kaléo is a privately held company headquartered in Richmond, VA.
About AUVI-Q (0.3 mg, 0.15 mg and 0.1 mg)
AUVI-Q (epinephrine injection, USP) is a prescription medicine used to treat emergency allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are at risk for or who have a history of serious allergic reactions. AUVI-Q contains epinephrine, a first-line treatment for allergic reactions that occur as a result of exposure to allergens including food such as peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, soy and wheat; insect stings or bites; latex and medication, among other allergens and causes.
AUVI-Q is the only compact epinephrine auto-injector with a voice instruction system that helps guide patients and caregivers step-by-step through the injection process, and a needle that automatically retracts following administration. In anaphylaxis emergencies, it is often individuals without medical training who need to step in and deliver potentially life-saving epinephrine. AUVI-Q was designed through careful analysis of the situations where epinephrine auto-injectors are used and with significant input from the allergy community that relies on it, incorporating Human Factors Engineering (HFE). HFE is about designing products or systems that are easy to operate and, most importantly, support correct use, with the goal to remove the potential for error. For more information about AUVI-Q visit www.auvi-q.com.
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