Allergy

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is offering new coupon booklets and other services to help customers make it through allergy season, the retail pharmacy chain said Thursday.

A mild winter may be setting the stage for a particularly strong spring allergy season for sufferers allergic to tree pollens and mold. The incidence of seasonal allergy has been soft of late, but IMS Health is predicting a significant uptick in allergy sufferers in the coming months.

JERUSALEM — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Teva for treating allergies, the company said Monday.

Teva announced the approval of Qnasl (beclomethasone dipropionate) for seasonal and year-round nasal allergies in patients ages 12 years and older. The company said the drug, a "dry" nasal aerosol, would become available next month.

EL MONTE, Calif. — Optics Lab has kicked off a new consumer campaign in support of its OcuFresh Eye Wash product, the company announced Tuesday.

The product, which helps flush out such eye irritants as pollen, dust and smoke, will be featured across the "Mommy Blog" circuit and in such print publications as Prevention, Redbook and Allergies Today.

The company also is circulating a 15-second spot featured on YouTube here.

AMITYVILLE, N.Y. — Drug maker Hi-Tech Pharmacal has bought a line of homeopathic nasal spray products from Dynova Labs, the company said Thursday.

Hi-Tech announced the acquisition of Sinus Buster and Allergy Buster for $1.25 million and an addition $1.25 million that it will deposit in an escrow account. The company also will pay Dynova a royalty on net sales for up to three and a half years or up to $1.75 million. The products, which Hi-Tech will sell through its Health Care Products over-the-counter division, had sales of $3.3 million in 2011.

JERUSALEM — A drug under development by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries appears safe and effective in treating allergies, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial released Monday.

Teva said a 529-patient phase-3 trial of Qnasl (beclomethasone dipropionate) nasal aerosol showed the drug produced a "significant" improvement in patients with seasonal and perennial allergies. Patients received either 320 mcg of Qnasl or a placebo.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — In preparation for spring, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology on Friday noted that avoiding certain fruits and vegetables, installing the proper air filters, closing the windows, filling any allergy prescriptions and consulting with an allergist can all prevent the delay of allergy symptom relief for more than 35 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies.

As of the beginning of February, the cough-cold season had yet to materialize and illness levels were only just beginning to climb. If that’s the case, then an expected illness peak in late February/early March would make the 2011-2012 cough, cold and flu season one of the later-peaking seasons in recent years.


As of Jan. 21, overall incidence of upper respiratory illness this season was down 7.5% according to IMS Health, as compared with the 2010-2011 season.