ALLERGY THERAPEUTICS REPORTS RESULTS FOR RAGWEED VACCINE

Allergy Therapeutics announced that it achieved a positive outcome in a dose-ranging study of its Pollinex Quattro ragweed vaccine and has now successfully completed Phase II trials of this therapeutic vaccine.

Pollinex Quattro is an ultra-short-course vaccine requiring only four shots in three weeks that incorporates the TLR4 agonist adjuvant MPL. The company has three types of Pollinex Quattro allergy vaccines in clinical development: grass, tree and ragweed. The company plans to begin Phase III studies in both ragweed and grass allergies in late 2006 and early 2007. The company expects to launch the first allergy vaccine in the U.S. in 2009.

The double-blind, Phase II, dose-ranging study, R203, demonstrated that the therapeutic dose of Pollinex Quattro ragweed is clearly immunogenic in a dose-related manner. A total of 68 patients with a history of moderate to severe seasonal rhinoconjunctivitis, a positive skin prick test and a positive radioallergosorbent test to ragweed allergen received four weekly subcutaneous injections with one of the three test doses (therapeutic, intermediate or low dose) or placebo. The therapeutic dose showed a five-fold increase in immune response after only four injections, as compared with a three-fold increase in the intermediate dose group and a two-fold increase in the low dose group.