GSK Consumer Healthcare Announces Flonase® Allergy Relief for Over-the-Counter Use In Canada

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 31, 2016 /CNW/ - GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Inc. today announced that it has received approval for Flonase® Allergy Relief (fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray 50 mcg), as an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine for relief of symptoms associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) including hay fever, and perennial rhinitis (PAR) as well as the management of sinus pain and pressure symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis.¹ Flonase® Allergy Relief is the first prescription to over the counter intranasal corticosteroid spray indicated for relief of nasal and eye-related allergy symptoms including runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose and throat, nasal congestion, itchy and watery eyes as well as management of sinus pain and pressure.^1,2  Flonase® Allergy Relief will be available without a prescription for adults 18 years and older to provide 24-hour non-drowsy allergy relief.¹

Allergic rhinitis affects up to 25% of Canadians³ and takes a toll on sufferers:

• 81 percent of sufferers have sought medical attention to treat their symptoms³ however, 60 percent reported their symptoms were only somewhat or poorly/not controlled³
• Nasal allergy symptoms can range in severity and be bothersome, impact sleep and affect activities of daily living including school or work.⁴

Flonase^® Allergy Relief is an effective medicine that relieves seasonal (i.e. hay fever) and year-round allergy symptoms caused by pollen, mold, dust and pets. Flonase^® Allergy Relief acts on several key inflammatory substances (histamine, chemokines, leukotrienes, cytokines, tryptases and prostaglandins) the body releases when it has an allergic reaction, whereas most non-prescription allergy medications will only act on one of these substances (i.e. histamine).¹  

Flonase^® Allergy Relief relieves the following allergy symptoms:

• Sneezing
• Itchy nose and throat
• Runny nose
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Nasal congestion
• Sinus pain and pressure.¹

Fluticasone propionate, the active ingredient in Flonase® Allergy Relief, has a well-established safety profile with over 20 years of clinical experience.⁵

Colin Mackenzie, President of Consumer Healthcare North America at GSK, said, "With the significant number of allergy sufferers in Canada and a considerable number of those unsatisfied with their current treatments, we believe the wide availability of Flonase® Allergy Relief over-the-counter is great news for these individuals. GSK has a strong heritage—40+years— in discovering and developing respiratory products used by patients worldwide.  We are proud of our track record of successful Rx-to-OTC switches which over the years have significantly improved access to important medicines for our consumers."

Flonase® Allergy Relief will be available over-the-counter in early 2017. To learn more about Flonase® Allergy Relief, visit www.Flonaseprofessional.ca.

Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies

About Allergies

• 81 percent of sufferers have sought medical attention to treat their symptoms³ however, 60 percent reported their symptoms were only somewhat or poorly/not controlled³
• Nasal allergy symptoms can range in severity and be bothersome, impact sleep and affect activities of daily living including school or work.⁴

About Flonase Allergy Relief

• Flonase^® Allergy Relief is an effective, OTC medicine that relieves seasonal (i.e. hay fever) and year-round allergy symptoms caused by pollen, mold, dust and pets.¹
• Flonas^e® Allergy Relief relieves these allergy symptoms: sneezing; itchy nose and throat; runny nose and itchy, watery eyes. It also relieves nasal congestion and sinus pain and pressure^{.1 2}
• Flonase® Allergy Relief will be available without a prescription for adults 18 years and older to provide 24-hour non-drowsy allergy relief^.1

About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world's largest over-the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands include Voltaren® Emulgel®, Aquafresh®, Sensodyne®, and TUMS® – which are trademarks owned by and/or licensed to GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies.  These brands are successful in over 100 countries around the world because they all show our passion for quality, guaranteed by science. They are inspired by the real wants and needs of the millions of people who walk into pharmacies, supermarkets, market stalls and go on-line all over the world every day, and choose us first.

Our goal is to build a global, growing business we call a Fast Moving Consumer Healthcare (FMCH) company, dedicated to everyday healthcare with all of the scientific expertise and quality guarantees that demands, working at the speed and with the genuine consumer understanding the modern world expects.

About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information visit: http://www.gsk.com.

References

1. Flonase® Allergy Relief Product Monograph. GSKCH. Aug 26, 2016.
2. Nasocort® Allergy 24HR Product Monograph. Sanofi-aventis Canada Inc. December 2, 2013.
3. Keith P, et al. The burden of allergic rhinitis (AR) in Canada: perspectives of physicians and patients. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2012; 8(1): 7.
4. Allergy Asthma Information Association of Canada. Available at http://www.aaia.ca/en/allergic_rhinitis.htm Accessed July 2016.
5. Data on file.

SOURCE GlaxoSmithKline Inc.

For further information: GSK inquiries: Joanmarie Goddard, External Communications Manager, North America Communications, [phone], [e-mail]