Tokyo: London-based Stallergenes Greer plc has launched Actair (STG320) in Japan, the first immunotherapy tablet for the treatment of House Dust Mite (HDM)-induced allergy in adolescents and adults by Shionogi and Co. Ltd. Actair has been developed by Stallergenes Greer who has granted an exclusive license to Shionogi & Co. Ltd. for Japan.
Fereydoun Firouz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stallergenes Greer plc, said, "We are delighted about the launch of Actair in Japan, which marks a key milestone for Stallergenes Greer, as it is the first launch worldwide for a house dust mite allergy immunotherapy tablet. This launch is a further proof of our successful long-term collaboration with Shionogi & Co. Ltd., as well as our worldwide leadership in the allergy immunotherapy HDM segment. This marks a significant step for our globalization strategy and the roll-out of our portfolio."
Since September 2010, Shionogi & Co. Ltd. has been the exclusive partner of Stallergenes Greer for the clinical development, registration, marketing and sales of sublingual HDM immunotherapy tablets and sublingual Japanese cedar pollen immunotherapy tablets in Japan. Stallergenes Greer will receive payments on sales of Actair in Japan.
In addition, Shionogi & Co. Ltd. has started a phase III trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Actair in allergic rhinitis in children (5 to 16 years of age). The trial is expected to enroll approximately 400 subjects.
Shionogi had announced that it had received the approval of Actair (STG320) from the Japanese health authorities (PMDA - Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency) on 30 March 2015.
