NICE approval of immunotherapy tablet to help those suffering from severe birch pollen allergic rhinitis

The British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) welcomes the news that The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have approved an Immunotherapy tablet that could offer relief for people suffering from severe birch pollen allergic rhinitis.

ITULAZAX® (12 SQ-Bet), a once-daily immunotherapy tablet that targets the underlying cause of hay fever caused by birch tree pollen has been recommended by NICE. 1,2

The immunotherapy treatment, 12 SQ-Bet, retrains the immune system through a daily dose that dissolves under the tongue. 2 Unlike traditional symptom-relieving medicines, this is the only immunotherapy treatment recommended to target the cause of the tree pollen, including but not limited to birch, alder, and hazel.1,2 The NICE recommendation gives access to an at-home treatment option for those in England. 3

Dr Robin Gore, President of BSACI, said, “This is now the second NICE recommendation for SLIT tablets, which marks a shift from simply managing symptoms to long-term disease modification. For years, patients have relied on temporary relief. We now have a second recommended immunotherapy option that targets the underlying cause of the allergy. This is a significant development for patients with disruptive allergies such as seasonal allergic rhinitis, offering a proactive way to manage their condition and improve their quality of life.”

References

1 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Technology Appraisal Guidance, Final Draft Guidance, Betula verrucosa (Itulazax 12 SQ-Bet) for treating moderate to severe allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, or both, caused by tree pollen ID6462. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gidta11602/documents

2 ITULAZAX 12 SQ-Bet – Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC). Electronic medicines compendium; 2024. Last accessed July 2025

3 Data on file. ALK-Abelló. 2025 4 Scadding GK, Kariyawasam HH, Scadding C, et al. BSACI guideline for the diagnosis and management of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis Clin Exp Allergy. 2017;47(7):856-889.