ALK-Abello A/S’s ACARIZAX Data Results In Significant Change To The GINA Asthma Management Strategy: Sublingual Allergy Immunotherapy (SLIT) Recommended As A Treatment Option In Patients With House Dust Mite Allergic Asthma

February 27, 2017 |

5 min read

HØRSHOLM, Denmark , Feb. 27, 2017 /CNW/ - ALK (ALKB: DC / OMX: ALK B / AKABY / AKBLF) today announced that for the first time, allergy immunotherapy is now recommended as a treatment option in the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) report: Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention. This global strategy is a widely recognised practical resource developed to guide healthcare professionals and policy makers, and represents the latest clinical evidence and medical practice for the treatment and management of asthma. The strategy is updated annually based on review of recent scientific literature by an international panel of experts on the GINA Science Committee.

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The 2017 update, which includes new information regarding the use of allergy immunotherapy, has just been released and features the following addition to steps 3 and 4 of GINA's recommended stepwise treatment of asthma in adult house dust mite (HDM) sensitive patients:

We are extremely pleased to see the recognition of ACARIZAX^® clinical evidence in the management of asthma. This confirms our long-held conviction that allergy immunotherapy has an important role to play in the treatment of allergic asthma, a belief confirmed by the unprecedented clinical development programme for ACARIZAX^®, currently the only HDM SLIT-tablet indicated for use in patients with house dust mite allergic asthma that is not well controlled."

House dust mite allergy and asthma often coexist. More than half of asthmatic patients have been reported to have house dust mite sensitisation.

ALK is committed to gathering further evidence to support the wider recognition of allergy immunotherapy as a treatment option for asthma, and to investigating the potential role for allergy immunotherapy in preventing the onset of asthma."

This is very encouraging. I am pleased to see findings from this important trial translated into clinical guidelines. This underlines the importance of performing robust evidence based trials in allergy immunotherapy."

http://www.alk.net.

Persistent moderate to severe HDM allergic rhinitis despite the use of symptom-relieving medication

HDM allergic asthma not well controlled by inhaled corticosteroids and associated with mild to severe HDM allergic rhinitis and where patients' asthma status has been carefully evaluated before initiation of treatment.

Patients with FEV₁ <70% of predicted value at initiation of treatment

Patients who have experienced a severe asthma exacerbation within the last 3 months

Patients with asthma who are currently experiencing an acute respiratory tract infection

GINA, Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention (2017 update), http://ginasthma.org/

Virchow JC, Backer V, Kuna P, et al. JAMA 2016;315(16):1715-25. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.3964

ACARIZAX^® 12 SQ-HDM oral lyophilsate Summary of Product Characteristics. ALK Abello A/S, August 2015

http://ginasthma.org/