This purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of a grass sublingual (under-the-tongue) tablet.
This is a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study in participants 18 to 65 years of age, of either sex, and of any race with a history of grass pollen induced rhinoconjunctivitis with or without asthma. While receiving treatment, participants will receive either grass sublingual tablet or placebo. Open-label rescue medications for the hinoconjunctivitis and asthma symptoms will be provided. Participants will visit the study site for at least 12 visits. A total of 10 allergic symptoms, 6 rhinoconjunctivitis and 4 lung symptoms, will be recorded daily on an electronic diary by the participant. The start and end of the grass pollen season (GPS) was determined based on the regional grass pollen count, and lasted up to 162 days. For each region, the GPS is defined as the first day of 3 consecutive recorded days with a grass pollen count of ≥ 10 grains/m\^3, to the last day of the last occurrence of 3 consecutive recorded days with a grass pollen count ≥ 10 grains/m\^3, inclusively.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
439
Placebo sublingual tablet
SCH 697243 (2800 Bioequivalent Allergen Units \[BAU\] of Phleum pratense extract, containing approximately 15 mcg Phl p 5), administered sublingually once daily.
Loratadine 10 mg RediTabs tablets were dosed orally once daily as rescue medication among participants with a total symptom score ≥ 4 during the GPS.
Participant Total Combined Symptom (TCS) Score Over the Entire Grass Pollen Season (GPS)
The TCS is the sum of the rhinoconjunctivitis daily symptom score (DSS) and rhinoconjunctivitis daily medication score (DMS) averaged over the entire GPS. The TCS ranged from 0-54, with increasing score indicating a higher level of symptom severity. The DSS is composed of 6 rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms with scores from 0-18, with increasing score indicating increased severity. The DMS is composed of a sum of the scores associated with rescue medication use per day. The range for the DMS was 0-36, with a lower score indicating less use of rescue medication.
Time frame: Start of the GPS to End of the GPS
Participant Average Rhinoconjunctivitis Daily Symptom Score (DSS) Over the Entire GPS
The DSS is composed of six rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms which were recorded daily including runny nose, blocked nose, sneezing, itchy nose, gritty feeling/red/itchy, and watery eyes, and the symptoms were measured on a scale of 0 (no symptom) to 3 (severe symptoms). A higher score indicated a higher level of symptoms and the total daily score could range from 0 to 18.
Time frame: Start of the GPS to End of the GPS
Participant Average Rhinoconjunctivitis Daily Medication Score (DMS) Over the Entire GPS
The DMS is composed of a sum of the scores associated with rescue medication use per day. Rescue medications were implemented when a participant had a symptom score \>= 4. Rescue medications for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis were to be utilized in a step-wise fashion: loratadine, olopatadine hydrochloride 0.1% opthalmic solution, mometasone, and prednisone, in that sequence. The score for the DMS ranged from 0-36. A lower medication score indicated less impact on symptomology and was suggestive of less use of rescue medication.
Time frame: Start of the GPS to End of the GPS
Participant Average Weekly Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality-of-Life Questionnaire With Standardized Activities (RQLQ(S)) Total Score Over the Entire GPS
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Olopatadine hydrochloride 0.1% ophthalmic solution was administered intraocularly at a dose of 1 drop in each affected eye twice daily as rescue medication for rhinoconjunctivitis, as needed.
Mometasone furoate monohydrate nasal spray 50 mcg was admininstered intranasally at a dose of 2 sprays in each nostril once daily as rescue medication for rhinoconjunctivitis, as needed.
Prednisone 5 mg tablets were administered orally at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day (maximum 50 mg/day) on Day 1 and 0.5 mg/kg/day (maximum 25 mg/day) on Days 2, 3, 5 and 7 as rescue medication for rhinoconjunctivitis among participants with a total symptom score of ≥ 4 despite treatment with loratadine and mometasone furoate nasal spray.
Albuterol sulfate inhalation aerosol 108 mcg/inhalation was administed via inhalation at a dose of 2 inhalations every 4 to 6 hours, as needed, as rescue medication for asthma.
Fluticasone propionate inhalation aerosol 44 mcg/inhalation was administered via inhalation at a dose of two inhalations twice daily, to a maximum dose of 10 inhalations twice daily, as rescue medication for asthma among participants utilizing four or more albuterol sulfate inhalations/day for 2 days for nocturnal asthma or shortness of breath.
Prednisone 5 mg tablets were administered orally at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day (maximum 50 mg/day) on Day 1 and 0.5 mg/kg/day (maximum 25 mg/day) on Days 2, 3, 5 and 7 as rescue medication for asthma at the discretion of the investigator for the treatment of asthma exacerbation.
The RQLQ(s) has 28 questions and focusses on 7 domains that may be significantly impaired in participants with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: sleep impairment, non-nasal symptoms, practical problems, nasal symptoms, eye symptoms, activity limitations, and emotional difficulty. The RQLQ score is the mean of all 28 responses and the individual domain scores are the means of the items in those domains. RQLQ scores range from 0-6, with a higher score indicating more significant impairment.
Time frame: Start of the GPS to End of the GPS