AAAAI Annual Meeting 2026 Preview: 5 Trials to Know

When the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) convenes for its 2026 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia from February 27 to March 2, the specialty will gather at a moment defined by both therapeutic expansion and biologic refinement. Once dominated by inhaled corticosteroids, allergen avoidance strategies, and incremental advances in immunotherapy, allergy and immunology has entered an era shaped by targeted biologics, epithelial cytokine blockade, and a growing appreciation for the microbiome’s role in immune development.

Over the past year, that momentum has only accelerated. The expanding footprint of dupilumab across asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), and atopic dermatitis has continued to redefine type 2–driven disease management, while upstream targeting with tezepelumab has reinforced the clinical relevance of thymic stromal lymphopoietin inhibition in severe asthma.1-4 At the same time, prevention strategies have moved closer to reality, with microbiome-directed therapies and early-life interventions advancing from hypothesis to randomized clinical evaluation. Together, these developments signal a field increasingly focused not only on controlling established disease, but also on intercepting allergic trajectories before they fully manifest.

Against this backdrop, the 2026 AAAAI Annual Meeting represents more than a showcase of incremental updates, it reflects a specialty redefining both risk and response across the lifespan. From combination immunotherapy strategies that aim to induce durable tolerance, to real-world biologic sequencing in CRSwNP and asthma, to microbiome-based prevention trials in infants at high risk for atopic disease, the data presented in Philadelphia underscore how mechanistic insight is translating into practical clinical decisions.

Below, we highlight 5 high-impact clinical trials to watch from the 2026 AAAAI Annual Meeting, listed chronologically by presentation date and time.

1. Dupilumab With Medium-Dose ICS vs Omalizumab With High-Dose ICS in CRSwNP and Uncontrolled Asthma (L03)
Presentation Time: 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM EST on Saturday, February 28, 2026
Presenter: Martin Wagenmann

In the phase 4 EVEREST trial (NCT04998604), dupilumab plus medium-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) demonstrated greater improvements in nasal polyp score, pre-bronchodilator FEV₁, and asthma control (ACQ-7) at 24 weeks compared with omalizumab plus high-dose ICS in adults with coexisting chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and uncontrolled asthma.

2. Durable Clinical Efficacy of Grass Pollen Sublingual Tablet Immunotherapy in Combination with Dupilumab in Adults with Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis (570)
Presentation Time: 2:15 PM – 2:25 PM EST on Saturday, February 28
Presenter: Aarif Eifan

Background Info: In this randomized trial, 2 years of combination therapy with grass pollen sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) and dupilumab resulted in a 36.4% reduction in total nasal symptom scores one year after treatment discontinuation compared with placebo, demonstrating sustained clinical benefit. Secondary endpoints, including peak nasal inspiratory flow and skin test responses, supported enhanced long-term tolerance with combination therapy versus SLIT alone or placebo.

3. Microbiome Associations with Food Sensitization in the ACTIVATE Trial: Exposure to Vaginal Microbiome in C-section Infants at High-Risk for Allergies (L29)
Presentation Time: 2:15 PM – 2:25 PM EST on Saturday, February 28
Presenter: Jose Clemente

Background Info: In the ACTIVATE trial, investigators evaluated whether vaginal seeding in Cesarean-delivered infants modifies the early-life microbiome and influences food allergen sensitization at 12 months of age. Vaginal seeding transferred Lactobacillus species and partially shifted the infant microbiome toward that of vaginally delivered infants, while specific microbes, including Rothia mucilaginosa, Bifidobacterium breve, and Ruminococcus gnavus, were associated with food sensitization outcomes.

4. STMC-103H Reduces Risk of Atopic Dermatitis and Food Allergy in At-Risk Infants: Results of the Phase 1b/2 Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled ADORED Trial
Presentation Time: 2:35 PM – 2:45 PM EST on Saturday, February 28, 2026
Presenter: Brian Vickery

Background Info: In the Phase 1b/2 ADORED trial, STMC-103H, a novel live biotherapeutic product targeting the gut microbiome, reduced the risk of physician-diagnosed atopic dermatitis by 64% and food allergy by 77% among at-risk infants who completed one year of treatment compared with placebo. The therapy was well tolerated, with no differences in serious adverse events, supporting further evaluation of microbiome-based early-life interventions for prevention of atopic disease.

5. A Single Prophylactic Dose of REGN1908-1909 Significantly Suppressed Cat-Allergen–Induced Allergic Conjunctivitis Signs and Symptoms and Skin Test Reactivity (746)

Presentation Time: 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM EST on Sunday, March 1, 2026
Presenter: Remi Gagnon

Background Info: In this phase 3, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial of 64 cat-allergic patients with moderate-to-severe allergic conjunctivitis, a single prophylactic dose of REGN1908-1909 significantly reduced ocular itch, conjunctival redness, and cat skin prick test reactivity compared with placebo at day 8 post-treatment. The therapy was well tolerated, supporting passive immunotherapy targeting Fel d 1 as a novel strategy for preventing cat allergen–induced ocular symptoms.

References

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves Dupixent® (dupilumab) for Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyposis. News release. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Published online June 26, 2019. https://investor.regeneron.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-dupixentr-dupilumab-chronic-rhinosinusitis-nasal/

2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dupixent® (dupilumab) Approved in the U.S. as First and Only Treatment for Adolescents with Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP). News release. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Published online September 13, 2024. https://newsroom.regeneron.com/news-releases/news-release-details/dupixentr-dupilumab-approved-us-first-and-only-treatment

3. Dupixent (dupilumab) – FDA Approval History. Drugs.com. June 23, 2025. https://www.drugs.com/history/dupixent.html

4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves Tezspire® (tezepelumab-ekko) for Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps and Severe Asthma. News Release. Amgen. Published online October 17, 2025. https://www.amgen.com/newsroom/press-releases/2025/10/fda-approves-tezspire-for-chronic-rhinosinusitis-with-nasal-polyps