ALK-ABELLÓ A/S
LUNDBECKFONDEN ANNUAL REPORT 2021
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ALK-ABELLÓ A/S ALK is a global allergy solutions company with a century of scientific knowledge and expertise. ALK’s business model is designed to help people to take control of their allergies and their lives. The Lundbeck Foundation owns 40% of the share capital and 67% of the votes.
In 2021, ALK continued its progress towards sustainable
giving patients direct access to an allergy health professional,
encouraging and, during 2021, ALK mobilised more than
growth and improved profitability as the company
which saw patients mobilised to take action on their allergies,
375,000 consumers worldwide via klarify, including more
successfully executed on its four focus areas. Revenue
albeit still in small numbers.
than 40,000 in the USA, versus targets of 250,000 and 20,000, respectively.
increased 12% on broad-based growth across all three sales regions, with tablets being the key driver of growth.
Efforts to complete and commercialise the tablet portfolio advanced, with the aim of securing their use in new
ALK’s ‘new horizons’ priority covers initiatives with the ability
FOCUS AREAS DURING 2021-23
geographies and additional patient groups. In April, ALK
to accelerate the company’s long-term growth, including an
ALK’s priority for the immediate future is to build upon its
received approval from the FDA for the use of RAGWITEK®
expanded offering in anaphylaxis and ALK continued to
successful transformation by targeting sustainable growth and
in US paediatric patients, while December saw the filing of a
advance two parallel adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) projects –
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profitability, as it seeks to become ever more relevant to
US application covering the use of ODACTRA in
one in-house, and one in partnership with Windgap. In 2021,
people with allergy.
adolescents.
ALK made an entry into food allergy treatment as it completed
The steps towards fulfilling these ambitions fall into four key
ALK’s two paediatric Phase III trials in allergic rhinitis – in
is suitable for this project, and plans to start Phase I clinical
focus areas:
Europe and North America for the house dust mite tablet, and
development in 2022 with an initial project for peanut allergy.
a feasibility study confirming that its current tablet technology
in Europe and Canada for the tree pollen tablet – progressed as ■
Succeed in North America
planned. The trials represent some of the final steps towards
■
Complete and commercialise the tablet portfolio
full paediatric coverage for the tablets in Europe and North
■
Consumer engagement and new horizons
America, which will be an important driver of sustained
■
Optimise for excellence
double-digit revenue growth for ALK. COVID-19 continued to impact ALK’s paediatric trial in house dust mite-induced
In North America, ALK continued its efforts to mobilise
allergic asthma. Also, the Phase III registration trial in China
allergy patients, accelerate tablet sales, and to secure paediatric
of the house dust mite tablet in adult allergic rhinitis remains
and adolescent indications, as well as introducing other
paused due to COVID-19, and ALK is in discussions with the
prescription allergy solutions. Growth was further supported
relevant authorities on possible next steps.
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by the strong early performance of ITULATEK in Canada. Even so, the long-established market barriers to the adoption
Progress on increasing consumer engagement continued, and
of the tablets in the USA remained a challenge. Work to
Q2 saw the launch of ALK’s klarify digital engagement
increase traction in the USA for the tablet portfolio included
platform in Canada, bringing the total number of klarify
the introduction and expansion of a telehealth partnership
countries to six. Metrics on the success of this platform remain
ALK has begun developing an allergy immunotherapy tablet for potentially life-threatening peanut allergy
