ALK-Abelló: ALK's partner, Torii, gains paediatric approval for the house dust mite SLIT-tablet in Japan

Copenhagen, 2018-02-16 07:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

ALK (ALKB:DC / OMX: ALK B / AKABY / AKBLF) today announced that its partner for
Japan, Torii, has gained approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour
and Welfare, to expand the use of ALK's house dust mite (HDM) sublingual
allergy immunotherapy (SLIT) tablet MITICURE to include paediatric allergic
rhinitis patients. 

MITICURE, which is sold by ALK as ODACTRA in the USA and ACARIZAX
elsewhere in the world, has been available in Japan since 2015 for adults and
adolescents aged 12-64 who suffer from HDM-induced allergic rhinitis. The
product has also been included on Japan's National Health Insurance
reimbursement list since 2015. 

Henrik Jacobi, ALK's Executive Vice President, Research & Development, said:
"Since its original launch, MITICURE has steadily been finding favour with
prescribers, and latest market reports from Japan show that the uptake has now
reached encouraging levels and that our partner Torii has clear market
leadership. The addition of a paediatric indication extends this innovative
treatment option to an important new patient population, children, for whom the
long-term effects of respiratory allergy can be particularly damaging." 

The application for paediatric use drew upon clinical data from a safety and
efficacy trial involving approximately 400 patients aged 5-17 with HDM-induced
allergic rhinitis. The randomised, multi-centre, placebo-controlled,
double-blind, comparative trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a
statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the 'Total
Combined Rhinitis Score' compared with placebo, which showed that MITICURE
reduced the symptoms of HDM-induced allergic rhinitis in children as well as
reducing their use of other medications. The findings were in line with earlier
data from trials involving older patients. 

Since MITICURE is already on the market in Japan, no new launch is necessary
and the product becomes available for paediatric use with immediate effect. 

                                 ALK-Abelló A/S
                                        

For further information please contact:
Investor Relations: Per Plotnikof, tel. [phone], mobile [phone]
Media: Jeppe Ilkjær, tel. [phone], mobile [phone]

This information is information that ALK-Abelló A/S is obliged to make public
pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. 

About the HDM SLIT-tablet
MITICURE is approved in Japan for adults and paediatric use in patients who
suffer from house dust mite-induced allergic rhinitis. Around the world, it is
sold as ACARIZAX, except in the USA, where it is branded ODACTRA. Outside
Europe, the product has been approved in Japan, the USA and Canada, as well as
in Australia, where it is licensed by ALK to Seqirus and Singapore, where it is
licensed by ALK to Abbott. In Europe, it has been approved in 14 countries,
many of which also include an indication for use in allergic asthma. The
product is also being developed for a number of other markets including Russia,
South-East Asia, Turkey, the Middle East and New Zealand. Altogether, clinical
development activities for the HDM SLIT-tablet have involved more than 6,000
patients worldwide. 

About ALK
ALK is a global specialty pharmaceutical company focused on allergy and
allergic asthma. It markets allergy immunotherapy treatments and other products
and services for people with allergy and allergy doctors. Headquartered in
Hørsholm, Denmark, ALK employs around 2,300 people worldwide and is listed on
Nasdaq Copenhagen. Find more information at www.alk.net.

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