Scientists from the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (NJSC "NANOC") have initiated the second phase of clinical trials for the domestic immunotherapeutic drug PollenVax, designed to treat allergies to wormwood pollen. According to Kazakh clinical diagnostic laboratories, sensitization to wormwood pollen accounts for about 30% of all detected pollen allergies and is the most common allergen, particularly in Almaty, where the wormwood season lasts from July to November. The drug, produced by OtarBioPharm LLP in compliance with GMP standards, is based on a recombinant allergen protein and involves a course of four subcutaneous injections at weekly intervals. The first phase, involving 30 volunteers, was successfully completed: safety, good tolerability, and the formation of blocking antibodies were confirmed.
The second phase is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 138 patients aged 18 to 65 with confirmed allergic rhinitis. The participation duration is up to 180 days.