Business environment
Approximately 30% of the global population is affected by one or more allergic conditions1, and it is expected that by 2050, several billion people will suffer from allergies2. The prevalence of allergic diseases has risen steadily over the past 60 years in both developed and developing countries3.
Allergies: an economic burden
The rising prevalence of allergies has a significant financial impact on healthcare systems. In the U.S. allergies are the sixth cause of chronic illness, with more than 50 million Americans experiencing allergies each year7. In Europe, more than 150 million people live with an allergic condition8. In the European Union alone avoidable indirect costs for patients insufficiently treated for allergy range between €55 and €151 billion p.a. due to absenteeism and presenteeism9.
Respiratory allergy
Allergic rhinitis affects between 10-30% of the population worldwide3 and symptoms have a significant impact on quality of life. A less wellknown, and often underestimated, consequence is that allergies put people at a greater risk of developing asthma. People with allergic rhinitis are three times more likely to develop asthma than other people, and the risk for patients with house dust mite-induced allergic rhinitis is about six times higher than for those whose allergic rhinitis is caused by grass pollen10.
Food allergy
Food allergy affects approximately 2.5% of the general population but the spread of prevalence data is wide, ranging from 1% to 10%11. Peanut allergy is one of the major causes of severe lifethreatening allergic reactions. The prevalence of food allergy is increasing each decade by 1.2% worldwide, mostly driven by environmental factors (e.g. pollution, urbanisation, hygiene hypothesis, etc.) and dietary factors associated with cultural/social behaviors (e.g., obesity, vitamin D deficiency, dietary fat, etc.)12. The only food oral immunotherapy treatment currently available addresses peanut allergy.
Insect venom allergy
Systemic-allergic sting reactions have been reported in up to 7.5% of adults and up to 3.4% of children13. Hymenoptera (honeybee, vespid, or ant) venom allergy is the most common trigger of severe anaphylaxis in adults14. As with respiratory allergy, climate change is also increasing the prevalence of venom allergy as the presence of stinging insects (such as Polistes) is expanding from Southern to Northern regions15.
AIT: a modest proposal rate
The AIT market is underdeveloped, representing approximately €1bn16. Market growth should result from increased awareness and prevalence of respiratory allergies, improved access to allergists, as well as a growing middle class in developing countries that will gain access to medical treatments. As more patients seek treatment for their allergies, the industry is gaining greater attention from the healthcare community. New technologies, such as monoclonal antibodies combined with AIT are opening new horizons to treat patients with severe allergies.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY FACTS
SUPPORTING RESEARCH IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Through the Stallergenes Greer Foundation, we sponsor research efforts in the field of respiratory airway diseases. We encourage pioneering advances that integrate climate action and environmental protection into research on the prevention and management of allergic diseases via the foundation’s Environmental Health Award.
Epidemiological studies show that climate change and pollution are affecting respiratory health as evidenced by the upsurge of allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. Air pollution and global warming can increase the prevalence of allergic conditions and increase the severity of symptoms, notably for specific species of pollens such as ragweed. The quality of the air we breathe is a major public health concern.”
LAURENCE GIRARD
Head of Public Affairs, Pricing and Market Access
1. World Allergy Organization, Immunology and Biologics Symposium 2013. https://worldallergy.org/ symposium2013. 2. J. Lotvall et al. (2012). “We call for iCAALL: International Collaboration in Asthma, Allergy and Immunology.” The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 129(4): 904-905. 3. WAO White Book on Allergy: Update 2013. R. Pawankar, G. W. Canonica, S. Holgate and R. Lockey. Publisher: World Allergy Organization 2013. 4. Zion Market research. 5. Coherent Market Insight. Online: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/allergic-rhinitis-.... 6. Market Research Future. Global Allergy Immunotherapy Market Overview. Online: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/allergy-immunotherapy-marke.... 7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Highly Allergic Travelers. CDC Yellow Book 2024 8. European Federation of Asthma and Allergy Associations (EFA). Allergy. Online: https://www.efanet.org/inform/patient-evidence/allergy. 9. Economic burden of inadequate management of allergic diseases in the European Union: a GA(2) LEN review T. Zuberbier, J. Lötvall, S. Simoens, S. V. Subramanian, M. K. Church. 10. Bergeron C, Hamid Q. Relationship between Asthma and Rhinitis: Epidemiologic, Pathophysiologic, and Therapeutic Aspects. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2005 Jun 15;1(2):81-7. doi:10.1186/1710-1492-1-2-81. Epub 2005 Jun 15. PMID: 20529228; PMCID: PMC2877070. 11. World Allergy Organization. 12. Dunlop & Keet, 2018, and Peters et al., 2022. 13. EAACI guidelines on allergen immunotherapy: Hymenoptera venom allergy. 2017 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.13262https://doi.org/10..... 14. Worm M, Moneret-Vautrin A, Scherer K, et al. First European data from the network of severe allergic reactions (NORA). Allergy. 2014;69(10):1397–1404. 15. Impact of climate change on insect-human interactions. Arantza Vega, Leopoldo Castro. 16. Market size (€1bn) and expected growth (2%): global data and internal estimates share of AIT market in the global allergic rhinitis market (12%): Visiongain report 2018.