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Information updates

ALBEY venom immunotherapy available from April 2025

Stallergenes Greer will be starting to re-establish the supply of registered ALBEY® brand venom products (Honey Bee, Paper Wasp, Yellow Jacket) in Australia. These will replace the equivalent unregistered HYMENOPTERA® brand venom products (Honey Bee, Paper Wasp, Yellow Jacket) currently supplied under a S19A exemption. 
 
HYMENOPTERA® and ALBEY® venom products are all approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and reimbursed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme  (PBS) in Australia. Patient contributions will remain the same after the transition to ALBEY®.

Timing of supply
  • The first supply of ALBEY® products will occur between 2025 and 2026.
  • This transition from HYMENOPTERA® to ALBEY® venom products in Australia is managed under an arrangement with the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, with ALBEY® products to be supplied once stocks of HYMENOPTERA® products are depleted.
  • The exact timing of the “switch over” for each allergen will differ, according to when existing stocks of HYMENOPTERA® products are depleted.
  • Stallergenes Greer will communicate the exact timing of the switch to ALBEY® for each allergen, once confirmed (see the summary of expected supply dates below).
Equivalence of products
  • HYMENOPTERA® and ALBEY® venom products are identical in terms of the drug substance,materials, equipment and method of manufacture of the drug substance and the finished product, as well as the immediate container and closure.
  • Reflecting this equivalence, patients receiving maintenance therapy may be considered to continue maintenance therapy when switching from HYMENOPTERA® to ALBEY®*
Product presentation
 
Registered ALBEY® products will be re-supplied in exactly the same presentation as in the past, containing 1 x 550 microgram powder for injection vial with 1 x 9 ml albumin diluent vial (for the preparation of the maintenance dose) and also including 3 x 1.8 ml albumin diluent vials (for the preparation of initiation doses), which are supplied separately for HYMENOPTERA® products:
  1. ALBEY® BEE VENOM Honey Bee venom (550 microgram powder for injection vial with 4 vials of Albumin saline diluent; 1 x 9 ml + 3 x 1.8 ml)
  2. ALBEY® PAPER WASP VENOM Paper Wasp venom (550 microgram powder for injection vial with 4 vials of Albumin saline diluent; 1 x 9 ml + 3 x 1.8 ml)
  3. ALBEY® YELLOW JACKET VENOM Vespula spp venom (550 microgram powder for injection vial with 4 vials of Albumin Saline Diluent; 1 x 9 ml + 3 x 1.8 ml)
Orders / prescriptions
  • Continue to place orders / prescriptions for HYMENOPTERA® until further notice on the specific dates to start placing orders / prescriptions ALBEY® for each allergen.
  • Stallergenes will communicate the exact timing of the switch to ALBEY® for each allergen, once confirmed (see the summary of expected supply dates below).
  • Once ALBEY® products are in supply, customers with unprocessed orders for HYMENOPTERA® products will be contacted by DHL Customer Service to amend their purchase orders to switch the order to ALBEY® product codes and prices (only amended orders will be processed and dispatched.
Current expected supply dates:
  • ALBEY® YELLOW JACKET VENOM Vespula spp venom - April 2025
  • ALBEY® BEE VENOM Honey Bee venom - Q2 2025
  • ALBEY® PAPER WASP VENOM Paper Wasp venom - Q2 2026
More information is available on the ASCIA website www.allergy.org.au/hp/papers/vit-availability
 

This news item was issued on 8 April 2025 by Jill Smith, CEO of ASCIA, the peak professional body for clinical immunology and allergy in Australia and New Zealand.