ALK-Abelló, the makers of GRAZAX® Welcome GA2LEN New Hay Fever and Asthma Campaign

ALK-Abelló has today welcomed the information campaign from the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, GA2LEN, entitled ‘Does Rhinitis lead to Asthma" launched last week at the network’s Annual Conference in London, UK.

The campaign is based on a peer-reviewed scientific publication of the GA2LEN review committee and follows the recommendations of the International guidelines on the management of Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma (ARIA).

ALK-Abelló supports the campaign objective that healthcare professionals and patients should be aware of the link between rhinitis (more commonly known as hayfever) and asthma.

In addition it is known that allergies sometimes come in a series called the “allergic march”. A proportion of adults and children with one type of allergy, such as grass pollen (the most common) will then progress to rhinitis or asthma later in life. Thus, the development of allergic diseases can be a life-long-struggle.

Guidelines recommend treating allergies and keeping a watchful eye out for other symptoms related to asthmatic disease. While several treatment modalities exist, symptomatic medications (e.g., antihistamines and local steroids) aim only at controlling the symptoms of allergic disease temporarily but do not treat the actual cause of the disease.

Only immunotherapy targets the underlying allergic disease, having the potential to produce long-term remission.

Several controlled clinical studies have also demonstrated the added benefits of immunotherapy in treating asthma symptoms in patients suffering from allergic asthma, and in preventing the development new allergies and asthma.

In particular, a recent study demonstrated that sublingual (under the tongue) immunotherapy over three years not only improved seasonal rhinitis symptoms but also reduced the development of seasonal asthma in children with hay fever. 7

Recently ALK-Abelló launched GRAZAX® the first allergy tablet that treats the underlying cause of grass pollen allergy and not just the symptoms. It works like a vaccine by inducing a protective immune response, which reduces and potentially halts the allergic reaction to grass pollen.

While long term studies are still being conducted on GRAZAX®, recently at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI 2007) congress, ALK-Abelló presented top-line results from the second treatment year in a long-term study with GRAZAX®. The study showed immunological changes in the second treatment year, supporting expectations of a progressive effect with long-term treatment and a potential to ‘halt’ the allergic march.

About GRAZAX®
Grass pollen allergy is a health problem representing a significant social burden. At least 75 million people in the USA and Europe suffer from grass pollen allergy in the form of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) or allergic asthma – or both.

The majority of patients are only offered symptom-relieving medications that reduce symptoms temporarily but do not treat the allergy itself. In addition, 60-68% of patients using symptom-relieving medications perceive them to be in the range of ‘not at all effective’ to ‘moderately effective’ on individual symptoms, according to a survey conducted by the European Federation of Allergy and Airway Diseases Patients Associations (EFA).

GRAZAX® is a fast-dissolving, once-daily tablet-based allergy vaccine for home administration

The efficacy and safety of GRAZAX® have been documented in the largest clinical study programme ever conducted within allergy vaccination. The studies show, amongst other things, that the efficacy of GRAZAX® starts from the very first day of the first grass pollen season under treatment, and that 82% of the patients treated with GRAZAX® feel ‘better’ or ‘much better’ in the first treatment season compared with previous seasons. Further information is available at www.GRAZAX.com.


About ALK-Abelló
ALK-Abelló is devoted to improving the lives of people with allergies by developing pharmaceutical products that target the cause of their allergic disease. ALK-Abelló is the world leader in the development of immunotherapy treatments – a unique treatment that induces a protective immune response with sustained symptom prevention. Allergy immunotherapy is traditionally conducted as subcutaneous injections or sublingual droplets. ALK-Abelló aims to extend the use of immunotherapy by introducing convenient tablets for home treatment, thereby offering many more patients a causal allergy treatment. ALK-Abelló has more than 1,300 employees with subsidiaries, production facilities and distributors throughout the world. The company is headquartered in Hørsholm, Denmark and listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. Further information is available at www.alk-abello.com.

For further information, please contact:
Sharmi Albrechtsen, International Brand Communication Manager, ALK-Abelló Phone +45 45747551
Jacob Frische, Director, ALK-Abelló Group Communications Phone +45 45747551 or +45 22247551

GRAZAX® is a trademark owned by ALK-Abelló A/S.

Contact Information

sharmi albrechtsen

International Brand Communication Manager

ALK Abello

Contact via E-mail