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Ragweed allergy immunotherapy tablet shows promise
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Results from a randomized control trial indicate that ragweed allergy immunotherapy tablets were effective and safe in the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis. Allergy immunotherapy currently includes injection therapy administered by a physician, which can lead to a lack of patient compliance, according to researchers.
Therefore, researchers examined this unmet clinical need for alternatives by conducting a self-administration study. Patients (n=565) with ragweed pollen-induced allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis (AR/C) were randomly assigned to daily ragweed allergy immunotherapy tablets (AIT; 6 Amb or 12 Amb a 1 units) or placebo before, during and after ragweed season (approximately 52 weeks).
According to data, the 6-Amb and 12-Amb a 1 unit ragweed AIT doses demonstrated a 21% (−1.76 score) and 27% (−2.24 score) improvement in total combined score vs. placebo (P<.05), during peak season. Additionally, they found that the 6-Amb and 12-Amb a 1 unit AIT doses significantly improved daily symptoms scores and daily medication scores vs. placebo (P<.05).
The researchers wrote that the 12-Amb a 1 unit AIT dose reduced peak-season total combined scores vs. placebo in subgroups with (21%) and without (25%) local application-site reactions.
Adverse events included mild, oral reactions. However, one patient in the 6-Amb a 1 unit group underwent epinephrine administration due to sensation of localized pharyngeal edema, the researchers wrote.
“The results of this trial replicate those from another pivotal ragweed AIT efficacy and safety study and corroborate its findings that ragweed AIT is effective, is well tolerated, and may provide a new convenient treatment modality for North American patients with ragweed-induced AR/C,” the researchers concluded.
Disclosure: Nolte is an employee of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. See the study for a full list of disclosures.