National Nasal Allergy Survey Reveals Unmet Needs Still Exist Among Patients Living With Allergic Rhinitis

SAN FRANCISCO, March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Results from a recent pivotal allergic rhinitis (AR) satisfaction survey assessing patient and healthcare provider perspectives on AR reveal that symptoms like nasal congestion and post-nasal drip continue to impact patients' daily activities. Findings from the Nasal Allergy Survey Assessing Limitations (NASL) 2010, released today by Teva Respiratory at the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting, held in San Francisco, Calif., highlight the continued unmet need for more effective treatment options to help reduce symptoms and overall disease burden of AR.

According to NASL 2010, nasal congestion, post-nasal drip and repeated sneezing continue to be the most frequently reported nasal allergy symptoms among patients. Beyond physical symptoms, AR patients experience emotional burdens, like feeling tired and miserable. When assessing the impact nasal allergies have on productivity, the survey revealed that patients are less productive when their nasal allergies are at their worst, limiting them from doing well at work.

"It's clear from the NASL 2010 findings that the estimated 60 million people living with allergic rhinitis in the U.S. are still significantly affected, both physically and emotionally, by symptoms," said Gary Gross, M.D. FAAAAI, Dallas Allergy & Asthma Center, Dallas, Texas. "This is a continuing trend we're seeing in patients having allergic rhinitis as these findings are similar to those released in a past survey evaluating disease burden on patients. The NASL survey results further support the need for more effective treatment options that address these specific issues for patients living with allergic rhinitis."

Nasal allergies can make it difficult for people to take part in both indoor and outdoor activities if their symptoms are not well controlled. According to NASL 2010, less than 20 percent of surveyed patients felt their nasal allergies were completely controlled over a one week time period. The vast majority of allergists, otolaryngologists and primary care providers interviewed in the survey stated intranasal corticosteroid sprays as their preferred treatment of choice for adults with moderate to severe persistent nasal allergies.

Among the patients surveyed in NASL 2010 who were familiar with intranasal corticosteroid sprays, nearly four times as many say that the benefits of these medications outweigh the drawbacks. Currently, the only intranasal corticosteroids available for the treatment of AR are products with an aqueous or "wet" spray. However, survey results found that nasal allergy patients who have used an intranasal corticosteroid spray in the last year report dripping down the throat as a moderately or extremely bothersome side effect.

"When patients experience symptoms of nasal allergies it can impact their work performance by reducing productivity, which leads to both social and economic costs," continued Dr. Gross. "Until there are products that alleviate bothersome symptoms like post-nasal drip, we'll continue to see dissatisfaction and low treatment compliance among patients. It's important for patients to maintain adherence with their medications to manage symptoms and achieve better outcomes."

About The Nasal Allergy Survey Assessing Limitations (NASL) 2010

The Nasal Allergy Survey Assessing Limitations (NASL) provides a current assessment of patient and healthcare provider perspectives concerning allergic rhinitis. A national sample of 400 people aged 18 and older, who had been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis, nasal allergies or hay fever, and who had experienced nasal allergy symptoms or taken medication for their condition in the past 12 months, were interviewed as part of this study. This national sample of adults with current nasal allergies was interviewed by telephone during May and June 2010 about their condition and treatment. In order to determine the burden of disease of allergic rhinitis, a parallel telephone survey was conducted among a national probability sample of 522 adults sampled by random digit dialing. This survey of the general adult population of the U.S. yielded a subsample of 400 persons aged 18 and older who did not have current nasal allergies. The comparison of the two samples of adults with and without nasal allergies provides a new measure of the impact of nasal allergies on the health and lifestyle of patients.

A third parallel survey was conducted among 250 healthcare practitioners who see patients with nasal allergies. The healthcare practitioner sample includes a national sample of 200 physicians in direct patient care in outpatient settings in the U.S., including 100 in adult primary care specialties (family practice and general internal medicine) and 100 specialists (allergy and otolaryngology). In addition, a national sample of 50 nurse practitioners and physician assistants were interviewed as part of the study.

About Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, nasal itch, rhinorrhea, and nasal congestion. Based on the available evidence, intranasal corticosteroids are the most effective treatment options for patients with AR. Morbidity associated with AR can be significant. Effective treatment of AR may improve asthma control when both diseases coexist.

In the U.S., the prevalence of AR has increased during the past three decades; it is recently estimated at 20% in the general adult population and closer to 40% in children. Of the estimated 60 million Americans affected with AR, approximately 20% have SAR, 40% have PAR, and 40% have a combination of the two (i.e., PAR with seasonal exacerbation) depending on the allergen sensitivity. Because of its prevalence and health effect, AR is associated with considerable direct and indirect costs. An estimate of $11.2 billion in healthcare costs, 12 million physician office visits, 2 million days of school absences and 3.5 million lost work days per year are attributed to AR. In addition, the presence of co-morbidities such as asthma and sinusitis further increase AR-related treatment costs.

About Teva Respiratory

Teva Respiratory is the U.S.-based respiratory subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA). Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., headquartered in Israel, is a leading global pharmaceutical company and the world's largest generic drug maker.  Teva has a global product portfolio of more than 1,250 molecules and a direct presence in approximately 60 countries.  The company is committed to increasing access to high quality healthcare by developing, manufacturing and marketing generic products; innovative and specialty pharmaceuticals; and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Teva's Safe Harbor Statement under the U. S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

This release contains forward-looking statements, which express the current beliefs and expectations of management. Such statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to successfully develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products, the introduction of competing generic equivalents, the extent to which we may obtain U.S. market exclusivity for certain of our new generic products and regulatory changes that may prevent us from utilizing exclusivity periods, potential liability for sales of generic products prior to a final resolution of outstanding patent litigation, including that relating to the generic versions of Neurontin®, Lotrel®, Protonix® and Gemzar®, the extent to which any manufacturing or quality control problems damage our reputation for high quality production, the effects of competition on sales of our innovative products, especially Copaxone® (including potential generic and oral competition for Copaxone®), the impact of continuing consolidation of our distributors and customers, our ability to identify, consummate and successfully integrate acquisitions (including the acquisition of ratiopharm), interruptions in our supply chain or problems with our information technology systems that adversely affect our complex manufacturing processes, intense competition in our specialty pharmaceutical businesses, any failures to comply with the complex Medicare and Medicaid reporting and payment obligations, our exposure to currency fluctuations and restrictions as well as credit risks, the effects of reforms in healthcare regulation, adverse effects of political or economical instability, major hostilities or acts of terrorism on our significant worldwide operations, increased government scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe of our agreements with brand companies, dependence on the effectiveness of our patents and other protections for innovative products, our ability to achieve expected results through our innovative R&D efforts, the difficulty of predicting U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency and other regulatory authority approvals, uncertainties surrounding the legislative and regulatory pathway for the registration and approval of biotechnology-based products, potentially significant impairments of intangible assets and goodwill, potential increases in tax liabilities resulting from challenges to our intercompany arrangements, our potential exposure to product liability claims to the extent not covered by insurance, the termination or expiration of governmental programs or tax benefits, current economic conditions, any failure to retain key personnel or to attract additional executive and managerial talent, environmental risks and other factors that are discussed in this report and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Teva Respiratory