Asthma

Asthma affects 5-6% of the US population, or an estimated 20 million persons, including 6 million children. Recent trends suggest an increase in both the prevalence and morbidity of the disease, especially in children younger than 6 years.

Asthma has a major direct and indirect impact on US healthcare costs. The 45 million asthmatics in the US, Europe and Japan currently consume over $20 billion in prescription drugs, and the number of patients treated is expected to grow 15% annually through 2017. Sales of omalizumab (Xolair®), an anti-IgE antibody and the first biological to be approved for asthma, has reached $1.7 billion.

The cost to society due to the morbidity and mortality of the disease is far greater, centered principally on the 2-3 million asthmatics in the US who are not well-controlled with available prescription inhaled bronchodilators and corticosteroids. Lost work and school time from asthma is estimated at approximately 100 million days of restricted activity, including more than 14 million total missed days of school, each year. More than 2 million emergency department visits and 10 million outpatient visits occur annually. According to a recent CDC National Asthma Control Program Report, there are an estimated 500,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths annually, representing a total cost to the nation of $56 billion. While the death rate from asthma has dropped over the past 10 years, African Americans remain 2 to 3 times more likely to die from asthma than any other racial or ethnic group.

Food Allergy

Effective treatments for severe food allergy represent major unmet needs both in the US and throughout the world. It has become clear that that anaphylactic allergy to foods is far more common than was appreciated only a decade ago, reaching epidemic proportions. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2007, food allergy affects up to 2.5% of the overall US population and 4% (3 million) of children under age 18. Peanut, tree nut, egg and milk allergies are the most prominent, especially in children, while allergies to crustaceans (shellfish) and fish along with peanut and tree nuts are more important among adults.

Peanut allergy alone affects 1% of the US adult population, 1.8% of 4-5 year olds and is among the most severe food allergies, resulting in 200,000 emergency room visits, over 10,000 hospital admissions and over 200 deaths per year, far more than the other prominent IgE mediated food allergies. In contrast to some other major food allergies, such as to milk and eggs, peanut allergy generally does not disappear with age. Each year 14% of school aged children accidentally ingest a food to which they are allergic. In food-allergic individuals, strict avoidance of exposure is the only means of prevention, and the only available treatment for anaphylaxis when accidental ingestions occur is rapid administration of injectable epinephrine.