Aimmune sees slowdown in launch of peanut allergy therapy due to coronavirus

(Reuters) - Aimmune Therapeutics Inc said on Monday the launch of its peanut allergy therapy may be slowed by the spread of coronavirus in the United States.

The company said its representatives may not be able to provide support to certain clinics administering the therapy as physicians and patients take precautions to avoid exposure to the virus.

The virus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China late last year, has infected more than 1,500 Americans and claimed over 60 lives, prompting health agencies to urge people to practice social distancing.

Aimmune's therapy, Palforzia, was approved earlier this year with a host of restrictions including requiring initial doses of the treatment to be administered under the supervision of allergists.

The coronavirus outbreak has also affected other companies with new drugs on the market including Amarin Corp Plc, which suspended in-person interactions for its sales representatives until March 30.

Aimmune said its U.S.-based manufacturing operations remain fully operational and that it had sufficient stock of the therapy to meet patients' demand for the foreseeable future.

Palforzia is the first food allergy treatment to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is touted as a potential blockbuster.

(Reporting by Saumya Sibi Joseph in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr and Shinjini Ganguli)