Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is the injection-based form of allergy vaccine. In this field, ALK has devoted 30 years of experience in maintaining its position as global market leader with the allergy vaccine Alutard SQ®.
The injection-based allergy vaccine is generally a three- to five-year treatment where the patient receives injections of the very allergen to which he or she is allergic. Injections are administered approximately every six weeks. Studies have shown that subcutaneous immunotherapy may significantly reduce the risk of developing asthma and additional allergies.
ALK markets injection-based allergy vaccines against many types of allergy including respiratory allergy for grass and tree pollen, house dust mites and animal dander.
Subcutaneous immunotherapy is also effective for the prevention of severe allergic reactions caused by stinging insects. Several hundred deaths in Europe and the USA every year are caused by insect sting anaphylaxis. Many of these deaths could have potentially been prevented with the use of immunotherapy.