ALK-Abello puts case for use of grass allergy tablet Grazax

A new tablet-based allergy vaccine Grazax, developed by ALK-Abello, has been shown to be a cost-effective method of symptom reduction in grass allergy sufferers according to a new study.

New data published in Clinical & Experimental Allergy and presented at the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) congress assessed the cost-effectiveness of the only grass allergen tablet on the market. The study compared Grazax with placebo in seven Northern European countries.

The main findings were that the drug significantly reduces the use of symptomatic medication and reduces the time lost from work compared with treating with symptomatic medication alone.

The authors of the paper suggest that the costs associated with the onset of new allergies, the progression of allergy into asthma and the reduced productivity at work were added to the analysis results, Grazax would all add to the drugs cost-effectiveness.

Grass pollen allergy is a health problem representing a significant social burden. At least 45m people in Europe suffer from grass pollen allergy in the form of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) or allergic asthma, or both.

While a long-term study is still being conducted on the once-daily tablet-based allergy vaccine, the most recent findings suggest Grazax shows highly significant efficacy and progressive immunological changes over two years of continuous treatment.

The developer ALK-Abello says it aims to extend the use of immunotherapy by introducing convenient tablets for home treatment for other allergies.