Allergen immunotherapy (desensitization)

An etiological treatment that prevents worsening of the disease

Allergen immunotherapy constitutes the main treatment for severe allergies¹. It is the only method that prevents and treats allergic diseases². Thus, it prevents the complication of new sensitisation (polysensitisation) – or the development of asthma³.

Mechanism of action

Its action reduces the body’s sensitisation to the allergen by progressively modulating the immune response to the allergen. Allergen immunotherapy prevents the onset of an allergic reaction.

Over the past few years allergen immunotherapy has been the object of numerous controlled scientific trials which have enabled the validation of its efficacy and the establishment of a precise treatment framework.

The WAO’s (World Allergy Organisation) reference document validates the concept of sublingual allergen immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe symptoms. The organisation also underlines the importance of making available sublingual pharmaceutical products which enable the needs of patients to be met and reinforce the credibility of the treatment vis-à-vis the health authorities.

Official recommendations

Allergen immunotherapy has reached high levels of evidence based medicine and the development of new oral tablet forms is consistent with the EMA’s (European Medicines Agency) new recommendations concerning the clinical development, manufacturing and quality of immunotherapy products.

The imperatives of Evidence Based Medicine

Furthermore, efficacy and safety of products used in allergen immunotherapy must be assessed in accordance with rigorous methodology that meets the requirements of Evidence Based Medicine imperatives.
This methodology has three chapters: scientific proof, the physician’s experience and practice and the patient’s preference.

The emergence of a new therapeutic class

2009 was a major turning point for sublingual allergen immunotherapy. The registration of the oral tablet form used in allergen immunotherapy as a pharmaceutical product has enabled the emergence of a new therapeutic class.

Allergen immunotherapy treats respiratory allergies, i.e. allergies to pneumoallergens (airborne allergens such as pollen, mites, animal fur, etc.) as well as allergies to hymenoptera venoms (wasps and bees).

Seasonal allergies (tree pollen, grass and herbaceous) can be treated seasonally whereas perennial allergies (mites, dander, insects, moulder, etc.) are treated all year long.

Prescribed by an allergy specialist, this treatment is intended for patients with severe allergies suffering from allergic rhinitis with or without associated conjunctivitis and/or mild to moderate asthma which is not controlled by symptomatic treatments.

Treatment is administered either by sublingual route in tablet/liquid form (drops to be put under the tongue) or by subcutaneous route (injections), which is its most longstanding form.

Treatment comprises two phases. An initiation phase which consists of administering an increasing dose of allergens followed by a maintenance phase.

¹ Bousquet J, Lockey RF, Malling HJ. et al. Allergy 1998; 53
² Des Roches A. et al. JACI 1997; 99:450-53. Pajno GB. et al. Clin Exp Allergy 2001;31:1392-97.
³ Jacobsen L. Allergy 1997;52: 914-20.Moller C. et al. JACI 2002; 109:251-256.