Merck’s Ragweed Allergy Drug Results Good (MRK)

Drug maker Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) has released results of a phase III study of its investigational allergy immunotherapy tablet (AIT) for ragweed pollen this morning. According to the company’s announcement:

The study results showed that the use of ragweed AIT significantly reduced the total combined score that measured nasal and eye symptoms and use of rescue allergy medicines, compared to placebo, in ragweed-allergic adults with or without asthma. The study was conducted during peak ragweed pollen season. …

Merck’s AIT is an investigational, dissolvable oral tablet designed to treat the underlying cause of allergies, and is being studied to determine whether AIT may help to prevent allergy symptoms by generating an immune response to protect against targeted allergens. … Merck has partnered with ALK-Abello to develop AITs to treat these allergens in North America and plans to file New Drug Applications (NDAs) for its ragweed and grass AITs with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013.

Merck’s shares opened this morning up about 0.6% at $38.00, in a 52-week range of $29.47-$39.43.