Denmark-based drugmaker ALK has received European approval for its house dust mite pill, which is designed to help alleviate related allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma.

The house dust mite (HDM) sublingual allergy immunotherapy (SLIT) has been approved for use in adult patients who still suffer from allergic rhinitis despite their use of symptom-relieving medication, or when their allergic asthma is not sufficiently controlled by inhaled corticosteroids.

According to ALK, the decision means that patients in Europe will over the next six months receive access to an effective, home-based therapy for the first time.

House dust mites are the world’s most common cause of allergies. They affect an estimated 90 million people in Europe, North America and Japan, and more than 100 million in China. Roughly half of all house dust mite-allergic rhinitis patients have concomitant asthma.

The HDM SLIT-tablet also is being developed for several other global markets and indications, with partner Merck & Co for North America, Torii for Japan, Abbott for Russia, and bioCSL for Australia and New Zealand.