Venom Immunotherapy (VIT)

Hymenoptera® venom product supply update

The manufacturer of Hymenoptera venom products (Jubilant HollisterStier LLC) still has limited ability to ship venoms outside of the USA. This situation is expected to continue in the coming months whilst Stallergenes Greer works closely with JHS to ensure further shipments.

Stallergenes Greer is currently holding sufficient local stock of Paper Wasp and Yellow Jacket in both Australia and New Zealand to meet demand. A further shipment of Honey Bee has also now been secured (ETA >3weeks). Given the ongoing uncertainty overseas, Honey Bee orders will continue to be closely managed to prioritise access for high risk patients.

For assistance with venom orders, please contact your Stallergenes Greer territory manager listed below.

To report adverse events, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Due to the limited stock of Hymenoptera® Honey Bee venom it is recommended that commencement of Honey Bee venom immunotherapy in new patients is delayed until continuation of venom supply is assured.  Completion of Honey Bee venom immunotherapy may be considered in lower-risk patients who have completed three years of maintenance therapy, instead of continuing for five years.

For guidance on how to make decisions about the appropriate care for patients currently receiving Honey Bee venom immunotherapy, including measures to avoid interruptions to therapy in high-risk patients, you may consider the recommendations summarised below, which are also on the ASCIA website www.allergy.org.au/members/allergen-immunotherapy (members section).

• Defer commencement of venom immunotherapy in new cases until continuation of venom supply is assured.
• Complete venom immunotherapy in lower-risk patients who have completed three years of maintenance therapy, instead of continuing for five years.

In high-risk patients the above measures should be subject to clinical discretion.

Registered and replacement venom products: differences in external appearance

Stallergenes Greer is continuing efforts to secure the supply of registered ALBEY® venom products. Replacement Hymenoptera® venom products and replacement sterile Greer diluents (which are both FDA registered products in the US) have been authorised by the TGA for supply in Australia under S19A(1) of the Therapeutic Goods Act and New Zealand under S26 of the Therapeutic Goods Act.

Whilst the external appearance of the replacement products and registered products differ, they are identical in terms of the:

• drug substance and materials;
• equipment and method of manufacture of drug substance and finished product; and
• immediate container and closure.

The registered and replacement products are both delivered from the manufacturer in sterile vials within tamper-evident packaging: e.g. within sealed external plastic packaging in the case of the replacement Greer diluents, and within vials with breakable caps in the case of the registered ALBEY® diluents. In the case of the replacement Greer diluents, the Certificate of Conformance released by Greer Quality Assurance is available here:

Certificate of Conformance - Albumine-Saline Diluent 9mL x25 Batch 350890.pdf255.74 KB

This document confirms that the products supplied as detailed above have passed all test requirements (e.g. sterility) and have met all defined product specifications required by the FDA.

If you remove these products from their original tamper-evident packaging to provide to third parties for administration, please explain the difference in the external appearance of the product and refer to this communication if necessary.

Stallergenes Greer understands the impact of this shortage on both patients and prescribers and are committed to ensuring reliable supply of these important products into Australia and New Zealand on an ongoing basis. We will provide further updates as soon as more information is available.

In case of future shortages, for guidance on how to make decisions about the appropriate care for patients currently receiving venom immunotherapy, and measures to avoid interruptions to therapy in high-risk patients, you may wish to refer to the following websites:

• ASCIA website members section www.allergy.org.au/members/allergen-immunotherapy
• AAAAI/ACAAI Joint Venom Extract Shortage Task Force Report www.annallergy.org/article/S1081-1206(17)30102-3/fulltext

Content updated June 2020