Press Release: Allergy Therapeutics Announces Opening Of New Buildings

Allergy Therapeutics Announces Opening Of New 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® 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® and Cervarix® Pollinex Quattro is an ultra-short course vaccine requiring only four shots over three weeks and incorporates the TLR4 agonist adjuvant MPL®. 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.