Overall, in 6 placebo-controlled clinical trials, 1,038 adults 18 through 65 years of age received at least one dose of ORALAIR 300IR, of whom 611 (59%) completed at least four months of therapy. Of study participants, 56% were male, 17% had a history of mild intermittent asthma at study entry, and 64% were polysensitized. Data on race and ethnicity were not systematically captured in the five European studies (N=805). In the US study (N=233), a limited number of patients reported their race as other than White/Caucasian (Black/African American: 5.6%, Asian: 2.6%, Other: 2.1%) or their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino (3.0%). Adverse events were captured on a daily diary card that did not solicit for specific adverse events.
Across the six clinical studies, adverse reactions reported at an incidence of ≥2% of ORALAIR recipients and at a greater incidence than that in participants treated with placebo are listed in Table 2.
Additional adverse reactions of interest that occurred in <2% of ORALAIR recipients include dysphagia, nausea, vomiting, esophageal pain, gastritis, and gastroesophageal reflux.
Overall, in placebo-controlled clinical trials, 154 children and adolescents 5 through 17 years of age received ORALAIR 300 IR, of whom 147 were exposed for more than 3 months. Of study participants, 66% were male, and 21% had a history of mild intermittent asthma at study entry. Data on race and ethnicity were not systematically captured.
The safety profile in the pediatric population, was generally similar to that of adults. In pediatric patients receiving ORALAIR, additional adverse reactions reported at an incidence of ≥2% and at a greater incidence than that in participants treated with placebo are listed in Table 3.
At least 1 serious adverse event was reported in 22 of 1514 (1.5%) subjects who received ORALAIR at any dose, and 11 of 840 (1.1%) of placebo recipients. Of the 22 serious adverse events in the ORALAIR recipients, 2 were considered "definitely related" to ORALAIR.
- The first subject was an adult who experienced a severe hypersensitivity reaction which began 5 minutes after administration of ORALAIR. The symptoms were violent coughing and marked dyspnea. The subject was treated with antihistamines, salbutamol and prednisolone and the reaction resolved without sequelae.
- The second subject was an adult who experienced severe laryngeal edema. The subject was treated with prednisolone and event resolved without sequelae.
There was also one case of gastroenteritis with an onset on Day 93 of therapy that was possibly related to ORALAIR.
Post Marketing Safety Studies
A total of 1728 individuals (808 adults; 920 children 5 through 17 years of age) received ORALAIR in post marketing safety studies. Reported adverse reactions included: anaphylactic reaction, oral allergy syndrome, flushing, dyspnea, laryngeal edema, and diarrhea.
Spontaneous Postmarketing Reports
In addition to adverse reactions reported in clinical and post marketing safety studies, the following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of ORALAIR. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure: autoimmune thyroiditis, eosinophilic myocarditis, eosinophilic esophagitis, palpitations, tachycardia, hypotension, loss of consciousness, circulatory collapse, malaise, pallor, peripheral vascular disorder, stridor, angioedema, face edema, weight decreased, wheezing, exacerbation of asthma, chest discomfort, oropharyngeal paresthesia, oropharyngeal blistering, headache, dizziness, tinnitus, asthenia, somnolence, anxiety, rash, pruritus, salivary gland enlargement and/or hypersecretion, dry mouth, dry eye, influenza-like syndrome, lymphadenopathy, eosinophil count increased.
Natural Field Studies
In the natural field studies, efficacy of ORALAIR as immunotherapy to treat symptoms of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis due to the grass pollens included in ORALAIR was assessed via daily recording of symptoms and rescue medication use. The daily Combined Score (CS, range: 0-3) equally weights symptoms and rescue medication use. The daily Rhinoconjunctivitis Total Symptom Score (RTSS, range 0-18) is the total of the six individual symptom scores (sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal pruritus, nasal congestion, ocular pruritus and watery eyes) each graded by participants on a 0 (no symptoms) to 3 (severe symptoms) scale. The daily Rescue Medication Score (RMS, range 0-3) grades the intake of rescue medication as 0 = absent, 1 = antihistamine, 2 = nasal corticosteroid, 3 = oral corticosteroid. In case of multiple medications, the higher score is retained. Least Squares (LS) means are within-group means adjusted for the covariates in the statistical models (i.e., analyses of covariance for average scores and linear mixed models with repeated measures for daily scores). The Relative Difference is the LS mean difference between ORALAIR and Placebo divided by the LS mean of Placebo, expressed as a percentage.
US Study
In this study, 473 adults aged 18 through 65 years received ORALAIR or placebo, starting approximately four months prior to the expected onset of the grass-pollen season and continuing for the duration of the pollen season. The results of the analysis of the daily Combined Score (CS), daily Rhinoconjunctivitis Total Symptom Score (RTSS), and daily Rescue Medication Score (RMS) are summarized in Table 4.
Table 4. Daily Combined Score (CS), Daily Rhinoconjunctivitis Total Symptom Score (RTSS), and Daily Rescue Medication Score (RMS) during the Grass Pollen Period (US study)| Efficacy endpoint | ORALAIR (N=208) LSLS: Least Squares Mean | Placebo (N=228) LS Mean | LS Mean Difference ORALAIR - Placebo | Relative Difference |
|---|
| Estimate | 95% CI |
|---|
| Daily CS Primary efficacy analysis | 0.32 | 0.45 | -0.13 | -28.2% | [-43.4%;-13.0%] |
| Daily RTSS Secondary efficacy analysis | 3.21 | 4.16 | -0.95 | -22.9% | [-38.2%;-7.5%] |
| Daily RMS | 0.11 | 0.20 | -0.09 | -46.5% | [-73.9%;-19.2%] |
European Study
In this study, adults aged 18 to 45 years received one of 3 different doses of 5-grass pollen extract sublingual tablet or placebo. A total of 311 subjects received ORALAIR or placebo starting approximately 4 months prior to the expected onset of the grass pollen season and continuing for the duration of the grass pollen season. The results of the analysis of the daily CS, daily RTSS and daily RMS for ORALAIR (300 IR) are shown in Table 5.
Table 5. Daily Combined Score (CS), Daily Rhinoconjunctivitis Total Symptom Score (RTSS), and Daily Rescue Medication Score (RMS) during the Grass Pollen Period (European study)| Efficacy endpoint | ORALAIR (N=136) LS LS: Least Squares Mean | Placebo (N=148) LS Mean | LS Mean Difference ORALAIR - Placebo | Relative Difference |
|---|
| Estimate | 95% CI |
|---|
| Daily CS | 0.50 | 0.70 | -0.21 | -29.6% | [-43.1%;-16.1%] |
| Daily RTSS | 3.48 | 4.91 | -1.44 | -29.2% | [-43.4%;-15.1%] |
| Daily RMS | 0.41 | 0.59 | -0.18 | -30.1% | [-49.5%;-10.6%] |
Long Term Study
In this study, adults received ORALAIR or placebo according to two different treatment regimens. A total of 426 subjects received ORALAIR or placebo starting approximately 4 months prior to the grass pollen season and continuing for the entire season. Subjects were treated for three consecutive grass pollen seasons (Year 1 to Year 3). The primary evaluation was the Year 3 pollen period. Participants then entered two years of immunotherapy-free follow-up (Year 4 and Year 5). The results of the analysis of the daily Combined Score for ORALAIR (4M) for treatment Years 1-3 are summarized in Table 6. Data are insufficient to demonstrate efficacy for one or two years after discontinuation of ORALAIR.
Table 6. Analysis of Daily Combined Score for Each Grass Pollen Period (Long Term study)| Year | ORALAIR (4M) | Placebo | LS Mean Difference ORALAIR - Placebo | Relative Difference |
|---|
| N | LS LS: Least Squares Mean | N | LS Mean | Estimate | 95% CI |
|---|
| Year 1 | 188 | 0.56 | 205 | 0.67 | -0.11 | -16.4% | [-27.0%;-5.8%] |
| Year 2 | 160 | 0.35 | 172 | 0.56 | -0.21 | -38.0% | [-53.4%;-22.6%] |
| Year 3 | 149 | 0.31 | 165 | 0.50 | -0.19 | -38.3% | [-54.7%;-22.0%] |
Pediatric Study
In this study, 278 children and adolescents received ORALAIR or placebo starting approximately 4 months prior to the grass-pollen season and continuing for the duration of the pollen season. The results of the daily CS, daily RTSS, and daily RMS are summarized in Table 7.
Table 7. Daily Combined Score (CS), Daily Rhinoconjunctivitis Total Symptom Score (RTSS), Daily Rescue Medication Score (RMS) during the Grass Pollen Period (Pediatric study)| Efficacy endpoint | ORALAIR (N=131) LSLS: Least Squares Mean | Placebo (N=135) LS Mean | LS Mean Difference ORALAIR - Placebo | Relative Difference |
|---|
| Estimate | 95% CI |
|---|
| Daily CS | 0.44 | 0.63 | -0.19 | -30.1% | [-46.9%;-13.2%] |
| Daily RTSS | 2.52 | 3.63 | -1.11 | -30.6% | [-47.0%;-14.1%] |
| Daily RMS | 0.46 | 0.65 | -0.19 | -29.5% | [-50.9%;-8.0%] |
Allergen Environmental Chamber Study
In an allergen environmental chamber study, 89 adults with grass pollen-associated allergic rhinoconjunctivitis were challenged with four of the five grass pollens contained in ORALAIR at baseline and after 4 months of treatment with ORALAIR (n=45) or placebo (n=44). The average Rhinoconjunctivitis Total Symptom Score (RTSS) of each group during the 4 hours of the allergen challenge was assessed; use of rescue medication was not permitted. The results of this study are shown in Table 8.
Table 8. Average Rhinoconjunctivitis Total Symptom Score (RTSS) during Grass Pollen Allergen Challenge in an Environmental Exposure Chamber after 4 months of ORALAIR or placebo| Efficacy endpoint | ORALAIR (N=45) LSLS: Least Squares Mean | Placebo (N=44) LS Mean | LS Mean Difference ORALAIR - Placebo | Relative Difference |
|---|
| Estimate | 95% CI |
|---|
| Average RTSS Primary efficacy analysis | 4.88 | 6.84 | -1.97 | -28.7% | [-43.7%;-13.7%] |
Severe Allergic Reactions
Advise patients that ORALAIR may cause systemic allergic reactions, including anaphylactic reactions, and severe local allergic reactions [See Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].
Educate patients about the signs and symptoms of a severe systemic allergic reaction and a severe local allergic reaction. The signs and symptoms of a severe allergic reaction may include: syncope, dizziness, hypotension, tachycardia, dyspnea, wheezing, bronchospasm, chest discomfort, cough, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, pruritus, flushing, and urticaria [See Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Ensure that patients have injectable epinephrine available and are appropriately trained in its use. Instruct patients who experience a severe allergic reaction to seek immediate medical care, discontinue therapy, and resume treatment only at the instruction of a physician [See Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Inform the patient that the first dose of ORALAIR is administered in a healthcare setting under the supervision of a physician and s/he will be monitored for at least 30 minutes to watch for signs and symptoms of a severe systemic or a severe local allergic reaction [See Dosage and Administration (2.2)].
Inform parents/guardians that ORALAIR should be administered to children only under adult supervision [See Dosage and Administration (2.2)].
Because of the risk of eosinophilic esophagitis, instruct patients with severe or persistent symptoms of esophagitis to discontinue ORALAIR and to contact their healthcare professional. [See Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]
Asthma
Instruct patients with asthma that if they have difficulty breathing or if asthma becomes difficult to control, they are to stop taking ORALAIR and contact their healthcare professional immediately [See Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].
Administration Instructions
Instruct patients to carefully remove the ORALAIR tablet from the blister just prior to dosing and to take the sublingual tablet immediately by placing it under the tongue where it will dissolve. Also instruct patients to avoid swallowing for about 1 minute, to wash their hands after handling the tablet, and to avoid food or beverages for 5 minutes after taking the tablet [See Dosage and Administration (2.2)].
ORALAIR® is a registered trademark of Stallergenes SAS
Manufactured by:
Stallergenes SAS
Antony, 92183, France
U.S. License # 1893
Distributed by:
GREER Laboratories, Inc.
Lenoir, N.C. 28645