ALK-Abelló

Regulatory Filings • Sep 2, 2014

Copenhagen, 2014-09-02 03:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

ALK's (ALKB:DC / OMX: ALK B / AKABY / AKBLF) partner, Torii Pharmaceuticals has
initiated a Phase II/III clinical development programme in Japan with the new
allergy immunotherapy tablet for the treatment of Japanese cedar tree pollen
allergy.

ALK today announces that its strategic partner, Torii, has advanced the
clinical development programme for the Japanese cedar tree pollen sublingual
immunotherapy tablet (SLIT-tablet) and initiated a Phase II/III clinical trial
in Japan.

The trial is expected to include approximately 1,000 subjects and will
investigate safety and efficacy of the SLIT-tablet in the treatment of Japanese
cedar tree pollen-induced allergic rhinitis.

In addition, Torii is currently finalising the development of ALK's house dust
mite SLIT-tablet and is expected to submit a registration application to the
Japanese authorities within six months.

Jens Bager, President and CEO of ALK, commented: “We now have innovative
products for the two most common allergies in Japan in the final stages of
clinical development. This brings us closer to offering effective treatment to
allergy sufferers for whom conventional allergy medicines are currently
insufficient."

Japan is the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world where an
estimated 25-35 million people suffer from allergy caused by Japanese cedar
tree pollen or house dust mites. Japan has a higher level of diagnosed allergic
rhinitis than anywhere in the world. Nevertheless, allergy immunotherapy is not
yet widely used.

This announcement does not change ALK's financial outlook for 2014.

                             ALK-Abelló A/S

For further information, please contact:
Jens Bager, President and CEO, tel. (+45) 4574 7576
Investor Relations: Per Plotnikof, tel. (+45) 4574 7527, mobile (+45) 2261 2525
Press: Martin Barlebo, tel. (+45) 4574 7901, mobile (+45) 2064 1143

About the partnership with Torii
ALK’s partnership with Torii covers the development, registration and
commercialisation of SLIT-tablets against house dust mite-induced allergy. It
also covers ALK’s existing SCIT product against house dust mite allergy,
diagnostics and the development of a SLIT-tablet against Japanese cedar pollen
allergy.

About ALK
ALK is a research-driven global pharmaceutical company focusing on allergy
prevention, diagnosis and treatment. ALK is the world leader in allergy
immunotherapy – a unique treatment of the underlying cause of allergy. The
company has approximately 1,800 employees with subsidiaries, production
facilities and distributors worldwide. ALK has entered into partnership
agreements with Merck and Torii to commercialise sublingual allergy
immunotherapy tablets in North America and Japan, respectively. The company is
headquartered in Hørsholm, Denmark, and listed on NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen. Find
more information at www.alk.net.