Opening of Facilities
Allergy Therapeutics PLC
26 January 2007
26 January 2007
Allergy Therapeutics plc
Opening of Noon and Freeman Buildings
Significant manufacturing investment leading to creation of 80 jobs
Allergy Therapeutics (AIM: AGY) today formally opened its new production
facility at its Worthing, United Kingdom site. The new building has been named
The Noon Building while Allergy Therapeutics' existing building has been renamed
The Freeman Building, The buildings have been named in honour of Dr Leonard Noon
and Dr John Freeman, the generally recognised "Fathers" of immunotherapy, who
while working at St Mary's Hospital in London were the first to use allergy
vaccines (published June 1911 in The Lancet). In acknowledgment of the
pioneering nature of this work Allergy Therapeutics will be making a Research
Grant to St Mary's Hospital.
Allergy vaccination is now used on a global basis with millions of patients
every year receiving a treatment that works on the underlying cause of the
disease and offers the potential of a cure rather than mere symptomatic
treatment.
The Noon Building is the cornerstone of an ongoing investment by Allergy
Therapeutics to provide world class manufacturing on a global basis from
Worthing. The building houses a state of the art production line for the
company's Pollinex(R) Quattro allergy vaccine which is currently supplied on a
named patient basis in Europe. Pollinex Quattro is also in Phase III clinical
development in the first ever Phase III global allergy vaccine trial. The
investment is in anticipation of the increased demand expected for Pollinex
Quattro once approval by the Food and Drug Administration allows for the vaccine
to be marketed in the United States.
This investment is one of the largest ever in allergy vaccine manufacturing and
one of the largest in recent years within the pharmaceutical industry in the
United Kingdom. It is expected that the expansion of Allergy Therapeutics'
manufacturing capabilities in Worthing has resulted in the creation of over 80
jobs over a three year period.
Attending the opening are fifty leading allergists from around the world
including those from Europe, North America and Japan. Opening the building will
be Professor Tony Frew, the President of the European Academy of Allergology and
Clinical Immunology. Also presenting is Dr Bill Frankland who, at the age of
94, is a London based practicing allergist and a former student of Dr Freeman.
Keith Carter, Chief Executive of Allergy Therapeutics, said:
"This new facility is a crucial step in our plan to make Pollinex Quattro the
global leader in allergy vaccine. Work can now begin to modernise and expand
the production line in the existing building ahead of the full launch of our
vaccines.
"Allergy Therapeutics' aim is to transform allergy treatments by continuous
development of novel, patient friendly, highly-effective treatments for hay
fever sufferers worldwide."
Professor Tony Frew, President of the European Academy of Allergology and
Clinical Immunology, said:
"Allergy is an increasingly important problem, right across Europe. Young people
are particularly affected, but increasing numbers of adults are also suffering
with hay fever, asthma, allergy to pets and other animals, as well as food
allergies such as peanut and fish allergy. We have good basic treatments for
allergic symptoms, but we desperately need better ways to treat allergic
conditions and get rid of the condition, rather than simply suppressing the
symptoms. Allergy Therapeutics is at the forefront of providing good tools for
the diagnosis of allergies, and developing better forms of vaccines to modify
and hopefully get rid of allergies. This work requires faith in the expertise of
the scientists and hard work in developing and testing safe, effective
treatments for these important conditions that affect so many children and
adults of working age. Today's ceremony to mark the opening of the new buildings
here in Worthing is an outward and visible sign of the investment being made in
this area, and a very welcome boost to allergy research and development in the
UK"
For further information
Allergy Therapeutics +44 (0) 1903 844 722
Keith Carter, Chief Executive
Financial Dynamics +44 (0) 207 831 3113
David Yates
Ben Brewerton
About Pollinex Quattro
There are three programmes of subcutaneous immunotherapy in clinical
development; Pollinex Quattro Grass, Pollinex Quattro Ragweed & Pollinex Quattro
Tree, all of which are based on proprietary technologies. Collectively these
form the "Caution: Allergen" programme. Pollinex Quattro Ragweed is currently
under review by Health Canada. In addition, an oral vaccine development is
completing its first phase II study.
Pollinex Quattro vaccines contain three distinct technologies which act
synergistically. Natural allergens are chemically modified to improve safety and
allow for delivery of higher doses. These are combined with a depot technology
to provide prolonged desensitization and further improved tolerability. Finally,
the immune response is specifically enhanced and directed by an adjuvant,
monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL). MPL is a Toll-Like 4 Receptor (TLR4) agonist and
has been extensively tested in Pollinex Quattro and other late stage and
registered vaccines including GlaxoSmithKline's Fendrix(R) and Cervarix(R)
Pollinex Quattro is an ultra-short course vaccine requiring only four shots over
three weeks and incorporates the TLR4 agonist adjuvant MPL(R). In contrast,
existing vaccine treatments typically require between 16 and 50 injections taken
under specialist supervision prior to the start of the hay fever season.
Pollinex Quattro therefore has the potential to transform allergy treatment by
providing a safe, effective and highly convenient method of vaccination. The
Company has three programmes of Pollinex Quattro allergy vaccines in clinical
development: Grass, Tree and Ragweed. Evidence of the safety and efficacy of
Pollinex Quattro has been established through earlier clinical trials in Europe.
Furthermore, substantial exposure data in more than 87,000 patients is
available from the named patient programme in Europe.
The market opportunity is considerable with the American Academy of Allergy,
Asthma and Immunology estimating that 33 million allergy injections a year are
given in the United States. Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is a large and
growing problem. Prevalence estimates vary on a country by country basis but
range from 14-29% of the total population*. Worldwide over 150m people are
estimated to suffer from allergic rhinitis and the prevalence is increasing*.
There is a substantial unmet medical need in a market currently worth an
estimated US$12 billion per annum.
*Decision Resources Allergic Rhinitis June 2005
About Allergy Therapeutics plc
Allergy Therapeutics plc is a UK AIM-listed specialty pharmaceutical company
focused on allergy vaccination. It has a profitable core business achieving
sales of allergy vaccines of over £24m in Germany, Italy, Spain and other EU
markets through its own sales and marketing infrastructure.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange