Japanese cedar (JC) pollen sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablets show sustained disease-modifying effects

Published: July 29, 2021

Allergen immunotherapy is considered to be the only treatment that results in long-term remission of allergic symptoms and suppression of sensitization to novel allergens through a disease-modifying effect. JC pollen sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablets provided sustained efficacy in a treatment duration-dependent manner. However, the magnitude and duration of disease modification after treatment cessation has not been evaluated.   

In a randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial conducted with 1042 patients (age, 5–64 years) with JC pollinosis in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: in Practice, Yonekura and colleagues assessed the disease-modifying effects of JC pollen SLIT tablets over 5 years (2015–2019), which comprised a 3-year treatment period and 2-year follow-up.

JC pollen SLIT tablets reduced the Total Nasal Symptom and Medication Score significantly in a treatment duration-dependent manner. However, the greatest relative reduction was in the group administered for 3 years both during the treatment period (third season, 46.3% vs. placebo, P < 0.001) and during the 2-year follow-up period (fourth and fifth seasons, 45.3% and 34.0% vs. placebo, respectively, P < 0.001). These additional data from this 5-year study demonstrated that administration of JC pollen SLIT tablets for ~18 months also provided long-term benefits after treatment cessation, but that 3 years of treatment provided more robust disease-modifying effects.

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice is an official journal of the AAAAI, focusing on practical information for the practicing clinician.

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