Copenhagen, 2015-11-26 02:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
ALK (ALKB:DC / OMX: ALK B / AKABY / AKBLF)today announced that the sublingual allergy immunotherapy product MITICURE™ now will be available for prescription in Japan for adults and adolescents (12-64 years) who suffer from house dust mite allergic rhinitis.
As of today, MITICURE™ has been placed on the Japanese National Health Insurance reimbursement list and will be launched in the beginning of December 2015.
MITICURE™ is the Japanese trade name of the sublingual allergy immunotherapy tablet licensed by ALK to Torii for Japan. MITICURE™ is indicated in adults and adolescents (12-64 years) for the treatment of allergic rhinitis caused by house dust mites. With the intention of obtaining approval for pediatric use (5-11 years), Torii is currently conducting a Phase III clinical trial involving approximately 400 patients.
Torii has issued a news release concerning the launch of MITICURE™ which can be found on http://www.torii.co.jp.
The product was recently approved in 11 European countries where it is expected to soon become available in the first markets under the trade name ACARIZAX® for the treatment of house dust mite allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma in adults (18-65 years).
The product is also being developed for a number of other markets around the world in collaboration with ALK's partners, MSD (known as Merck in the USA and Canada) for North America, Abbott for Russia, and Seqirus (previously bioCSL) for Australia and New Zealand. It is the best documented product in the history of allergy immunotherapy and the development activities have so far involved approximately 6,000 patients worldwide.
ALK's partnership with Torii covers the development, registration and commercialisation of two sublingual allergy immunotherapy tablets for Japan. A regulatory submission of the second product, a tablet against Japanese cedar pollen allergy, is currently being prepared following the successful completion of a Phase II/III clinical trial earlier this year.
ALK-Abelló A/S
For further information please contact:
Jens Bager, President and CEO, tel. +45 4574 7576
Investor Relations: Per Plotnikof, tel. +45 4574 7527, mobile +45 2261 2525
Media: Jeppe Ilkjær, tel. +45 7877 4532, mobile +45 3050 2014
About ALK
ALK is a research-driven global pharmaceutical company focusing on allergy prevention, diagnosis and treatment. ALK is a world leader in allergy immunotherapy — a treatment of the underlying cause of allergy. The company has approximately 1,800 employees with subsidiaries, production facilities and distributors worldwide. ALK has entered into partnership agreements with MSD (known as Merck (NYSE: MRK) in the USA and Canada), Torii, Abbott and Seqirus (previously bioCSL) to commercialise sublingual allergy immunotherapy tablets in North America, Japan, Russia, Australia and New Zealand, respectively. The company is headquartered in Hørsholm, Denmark, and listed on NASDAQ Copenhagen. Find more information at www.alk.net.
About Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd
Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., (Torii) established in 1921, manufactures and distributes ethical pharmaceutical products. Torii is a quoted company with its headquarters in Tokyo (TSE:4551), and has about 500 medical representatives working at 14 branch offices throughout Japan. Torii markets drugs in a number of priority therapeutic areas: renal diseases and haemodialysis including pruritus in haemodialysis patients, acute diseases including acute pancreatitis, HIV, skin diseases including atopic dermatitis, lifestyle-related diseases including gout, and allergy. Torii has been the only company in Japan to manufacture and sell allergen agents for more than 40 years. Torii's principal shareholder is Japan Tobacco Inc. Read more at www.torii.co.jp.