Hospital Trials To Discover if Hayfever Drug Could Prevent Asthma in Children

Researchers in the UK are to take part in clinical trials of a drug that could prevent young hayfever sufferers from developing asthma.

The Grazax Asthma Prevention (GAP) Study aims to determine whether it is possible to prevent children with hayfever going on to develop asthma. It makes use of Grazax which is a sublingual immunotherapy tablet developed by ALK-Abello. The tablet is already licenced in the U.K. for the treatment of hayfever.

"We are already aware that the drug to be used in this trial increases the body's tolerance to grass pollen and reduces allergic symptoms," said Dr Graham Roberts, a consultant in paediatric allergy at Southampton General Hospital and senior clinical lecturer at the University of Southampton.

"But we now hope to find out whether the drug, if taken early enough, can prevent children with hayfever going on to develop asthma. The information we will obtain through this study will be very important to future progress."

The aim is to recruit 620 children from 10 European countries. In the UK, the following hospitals are involved, Parents who are interested in learning more should contact the nearest centre:

Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust - Dr. Graham Roberts - Tel: 020380 796322

David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, Isle of Wight - Prof. Hasan Arshad - Tel: 01983 534897

Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, Dr. Rajiv Sood - Tel: 0208 510 7011

University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust - Prof. Adnan Custovic - Tel:0800 6556553

Evelina Children's Hospital, Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London - Dr. Adam Fox - Tel: 0207 188 6111.