FDA accepts Merck's sublingual allergy med license application

Merck ($MRK) won the FDA's acceptance of a Biologics License Application for its investigational ragweed pollen allergy tablet to be delivered under the tongue. Working with ALK-Abello, Merck designed its tablet to treat allergic rhinitis--an inflammation of the nasal airways--by introducing small amounts of the allergen to initiate an immune response. The company expects the agency's review of this and another BLA for its Timothy-grass pollen sublingual tablet, accepted in March, to both be completed by the first half of 2014. Release