Allergy specialist Stallergenes taps Aptar for digital delivery

Stallergenes Greer has teamed up with Aptar Pharma to develop a digital dimension for its allergen immunotherapy (AIT) products that it hopes will improve the chances of patients completing their treatment.

AIT involves the administration of controlled, low doses of allergens under the tongue or by subcutaneous injection in people with allergies, with the aim of desensitising the immune system to them and prevent allergic reactions.

While AIT can be highly effective, non-adherence to the treatment – which can take months or years to complete – can be a major obstacle to a successful outcome.  Aside from the length of treatment, local and systemic side effects can also discourage people from completing an AIT course.

To tackle that issue, Stallergenes and Aptar are developing an Internet-enabled device – coupled to a mobile app – for patients receiving sublingual treatment for allergies in the hope of "optimising" treatment, according to the partners.

The device should be available in France next year and will be progressively rolled-out in Stallergenes' other markets thereafter.

Aptar is best known as a manufacturer of inhalers, syringe components, eye drop bottles and other delivery systems, as well as connected drug delivery devices with features such as dose reminders and remaining dosage displays.

The company bolstered the software element of its digital credentials earlier this year when it acquired a majority stake in Voluntis, a French developer of digital therapeutics (DTx).

The Stallergenes alliance however comes on the back of Aptar's acquisition last year of Cohero Health, which has developed a digital health platform aimed at improving respiratory care, reducing avoidable costs and improving medication use based on smart inhaler sensors and associated apps.

The Cohero platform will underpin the new AIT device, marking an expansion beyond its original respiratory applications.

Dominique Pezziardi, global head of pricing and market access for Stallergenes, said that the project with Aptar marks an "intensification" of the company's digital transformation, adding that it will " continue to develop its e-health offering for the benefit of all stakeholders."