ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a U.S. biopharmaceutical company working to develop an epinephrine (adrenaline) nasal spray called neffy® for the treatment of severe allergic reactions. The company recently held an investor day to showcase the potential benefits of the new treatment mechanism.
Current epinephrine treatments require the use of an auto-injector mechanism which, while effective, reportedly has limitations that stem from needle-related risks and portability issues.
Epinephrine has been used for more than 100 years and has been proven as an effective treatment to reverse the symptoms of anaphylaxis. However, approximately 40 per cent of people with severe allergies do not fill their epinephrine prescriptions. Of those that do, 80-90 per cent either do not carry or use their treatment as indicated. Prompt administration of epinephrine is the most critical factor that translates to better outcomes in an allergy emergency, regardless of device used to administer the drug.
ARS Pharma maintain the availability of an additional epinephrine option will help with compliance, especially with respect to children who account for almost half of the population with active epinephrine prescriptions.
In addition to severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis, ARS Pharma is actively developing neffy® for the treatment of urticaria. In late-February, the company announced positive clinical data from a Phase 2 trial evaluating neffy® in adults with chronic spontaneous urticaria. Later in 2024, the company plans to initiate an outpatient urticaria study in patients treated with antihistamines who experience frequent acute flares.
For more information about the developments, see the Clinical Update that was released on the company’s recent Investor Day.
