FDA Approves Grastek Immunotherapy for Treatment of Grass Allergies

If you have allergies, then you know how this goes with the sneezing and runny nose and now there’s one more available drug to help counter attack.  This is not a pill you take for immediate relief it states here so I am assuming this is  more of a long term treatment.  Usually when you have allergies you get the good old test to determine what allergies you have and are treated with injections on some type of a schedule so we have a pill for this one available versus a shot.  BD 

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Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Grastek (Timothy Grass Pollen Allergen Extract) Tablet for Sublingual Use [2800 Bioequivalent Allergy Units (BAU)]. Grastek is an allergen extract indicated as immunotherapy for the treatment of grass pollen-induced allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis confirmed by positive skin test or in vitro testing for pollen-specific IgE antibodies for Timothy grass or cross-reactive grass pollens. Grastek is approved for use in persons 5 through 65 years of age. Grastek is not indicated for the immediate relief of allergic symptoms.

The prescribing information for Grastek includes a boxed warning regarding severe allergic reactions. Grastek is contraindicated in patients with severe, unstable or uncontrolled asthma; a history of any severe systemic allergic reaction; a history of any severe local reaction after taking any sublingual allergen immunotherapy; a history of eosinophilic esophagitis; or hypersensitivity to any of the inactive ingredients contained in the product.

http://www.dddmag.com/news/2014/04/fda-approves-merck%E2%80%99s-allergy-immunotherapy