GSK lowers price of newly acquired allergy drug by 50%

Research-based pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) continues its mission of expanding access to its quality medicines by offering its newly acquired allergy treatment levocetirizine at 50% off its original price beginning April.

Acquired as part of GSK’s agreement with global biopharmaceutical company UCB S.A., the prescription antihistamine has been proven effective in reducing nasal and skin allergy symptoms and providing patients fast-acting relief. The 50% price reduction will be implemented for both the tablet and oral drops format of levocetirizine.

Also called allergic rhinitis, nasal allergy occurs when a person breathes in substances that trigger allergy symptoms or allergens, causing the inside of their nose to become enflamed or swollen. These allergens are generally harmless substances, such as pollen, mold, animal dander/dead skin, and dust mites, but trigger bothersome symptoms among people with allergies ranging from a stuffed or runny nose, recurrent sneezing, watery and itchy eyes, to experiencing postnasal drip and an itchy nose and throat.

Skin allergy occurs when the allergens come into contact with the skin and causes rashes, swelling and itching.

Allergies occur when the body's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances that do not bother most people. This reaction is partly caused by the release of histamine from certain cells in the body. Antihistamines like levocetirizine block histamine from binding to histamine receptors and causing allergy symptoms. Patients are advised to consult their doctors to find out more about allergy treatments.

According to the World Allergy Organization, the incidence of chronic allergy respiratory diseases like asthma and allergic rhinitis is increasing in the Asia-Pacific region, with the Philippines counting among the countries with the highest prevalence rates.

“As communities here in the Philippines grow and become more urbanized, the incidence and burden of allergy may increase as well. We have significantly reduced the price of our new allergy treatment so more Filipinos can obtain much needed allergy relief at an affordable price,” said Roberto Taboada, GSK Philippines President and Managing Director.

This is the latest price reduction implemented by the company after GSK announced a 30-50% price reduction on most of its major brands. GSK’s more affordable medicines include its cervical cancer vaccine and treatments for hypertension, type 2 diabetes, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia and other bacterial infections, ulcer, bronchitis, nausea and vomiting.