First Sneezin' Season Forecast Released Today Top 10 Sneezin' Cities Gear Up
New York, NY -- April 17, 1997 -- You don't have to live in Weed Heights, Nev. or Goldenrod, Fla. to experience a tough allergy season this year. The spring is always prime time for allergies, but this season is predicted to be particularly difficult for the estimated 22 million seasonal allergy sufferers in the United States. Overall, it's been a relatively mild winter, so this spring allergy season is starting sooner and, therefore, is expected to last longer than most across the United States.
Typically, Americans spend billions of dollars annually to combat the itchy, watery eyes and runny noses due to allergies. Certain cities, including New York, N.Y., Dallas, Tex., Gary, Ind. and Philadelphia, Pa., are "sneezin' cities" -- cities which spend the most on allergy treatment in the United States.1 According to new IMS Xponent prescription data from IMS America and Hoechst Marion Roussel, New York City is the allergy capital of the United States. Other top 10 "sneezin' cities" are Dallas, Tex.; Gary, Ind./Chicago, Il.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Detroit, Mich.; Washington, D.C.; Houston, Tex.; San Francisco, Calif.; and Atlanta, Ga. "The specific types of pollen which are most likely to affect allergy sufferers in the spring are maple, birch, oak and elm," states David Frenz, vice president and director of research at Multidata, Inc., a firm, that monitors atmospheric pollen. As any allergy sufferer will attest, suffering is all relative, geographically speaking. Specific pollen outlooks for these top 10 "sneezin' cities" include:

Knowing that this season will be a difficult and expensive one for allergy sufferers across the United States, how can sufferers defend themselves without avoiding the outdoors or taking medications that may cause drowsiness? The goal of sufferers should be to feel like they are living in, as the name implies, Relief, N.C. Hoechst Marion Roussel's latest, nonsedating prescription antihistamine called ALLEGRA® (fexofenadine hydrochloride) offers relief at a price 15% less than other leading nonsedating antihistamines. Retail prices may vary. "Allergy sufferers have more choice now regarding their treatment options. One option is a recently-introduced antihistamine, ALLEGRA, which is a safe, economical medication that reduces the seasonal allergy symptoms of sneezing, runny nose and nasal and eye itching without drowsiness," said Michael Kaliner, M.D., medical director for the Institute for Asthma and Allergy, Washington, D.C. "It is a nonsedating antihistamine that may appeal to allergy sufferers and help to keep their symptoms from interfering with their day-to-day activities." ALLEGRA offers safe, effective relief of seasonal allergy symptoms -- as early as one hour. Its continuous effectiveness throughout the dosing period, coupled with the fact that the same dosage can be used for most patients, makes ALLEGRA a potential treatment option for all seasonal allergy sufferers aged 12 and over. ALLEGRA was cleared for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for relief of seasonal allergic rhinitis on July 25, 1996. The most commonly reported adverse experiences for ALLEGRA and placebo are cold or flu (2.5% vs 1.5%), nausea (1.6% vs 1.5%) and menstrual pain (1.5% vs 0.3%). Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) is a chronic condition occurring during the spring and fall allergy seasons that is caused by the body's reaction to allergens that enter through respiratory and alimentary tracts and sometimes through the skin. Typical allergens that cause SAR are grass and tree pollens, molds and ragweed pollen. Symptoms typically affect the nose, but patients also report itchy, watery eyes and inflammation of the sinuses or ears. Seasonal allergic rhinitis often remains undiagnosed and untreated because people mistake their symptoms as related to a cold or the flu. Hoechst Marion Roussel, the pioneer in nonsedating allergy treatment, is dedicated to extending and enhancing human life through the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical products. Hoechst Marion Roussel, with global headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, and North American headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., is a member of the Hoechst Group. Prescribing information is available on fax-on-demand by calling 1-800-753-0352 ext. 721. Contact: Julie Gladman or Charles Rouse III Hoechst Marion Roussel (816) 966-4000 To receive a copy of this release or any recent release via fax, call Hoechst Marion Roussel's automated news fax line at 800/556-7422, or 816/966-3434. For story graphics via email, please contact Lisa Kennedy at 212/893-8926 or by email at Lkennedy 1. These markets (from the metropolitan statistical areas defined by the government) are ranked in order by total prescription volume. This information is based upon IMS Xponent prescription data from IMS America and is based upon the Hoechst Marion Roussel-defined allergy (upper respiratory ailment) market. 2.Multidata's tree pollen forecasts are based on an exhaustive analysis of actual and predicted climate conditions. Statistical methods examine winter weather that influences bud dormancy in trees, as well as spring conditions that ultimately cause buds to shed pollen. A key variable in the analysis is temperature. Multidata, Inc., is an aerobiological consulting firm based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company's scientists have published a variety of research papers on pollen in scientific and medical journals.

Sneezin' Cities Fact Sheet
What is a Sneezin' City? A sneezin' city is a U.S. city in which thousands of people suffer from sneezing, itchy eyes, and/or inflammation of the sinuses or ears due to high allergen levels. Sufferers in these cities spend more money on allergy treatments than do sufferers in other U.S. cities.
Specific Pollen outlooks for these cities include:

1. These markets (from the metropolitan statistical areas defined by the government) are ranked in order by total prescription volume. This information is based upon IMS Xponent prescription data from IMS America and is based upon the Hoechst Marion Roussel-defined allergy (upper respiratory ailment) market. 2. Multidata's tree pollen forecasts are based on an exhaustive analysis of actual and predicted climate conditions. Statistical methods examine winter weather that influences bud dormancy in trees, as well as spring conditions that ultimately cause buds to shed pollen. A key variable in the analysis is temperature. Multidata, Inc., is an aerobiological consulting firm based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company's scientists have published a variety of research papers on pollen in scientific and medical journals. Contact: Julie Gladman or Charles Rouse III Hoechst Marion Roussel (816) 966-4000

As the active metabolite of terfenadine, Allegra offers the fast, nondrowsy symptom relief of Seldane and has demonstrated cardiac safety.¹ Unlike Seldane, Allegra can be taken with common medicines like the antibiotic erythromycin and the antifungal ketoconazole. Additionally, Allegra is safe for people with liver disease.

“Although I’ve prescribed terfenadine (Seldane) with confidence for many years, I was pleased when Hoechst Marion Roussel introduced fexofenadine (Allegra®) this past summer,” said Peter Creticos, M.D., an allergy specialist in Baltimore, Md. “Allegra provides the therapeutic benefits of terfenadine without the concern of the potential side effects that had been associated with terfenadine. This is a significant benefit which has certainly resulted in my selection of Allegra in place of terfenadine both in new patients that I see as well as in any existing patients whom I previously had on terfenadine.”

Hoechst Marion Roussel is aware the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering the initiation of a well-defined administrative process which could result in discontinuation of the availability of Seldane in the marketplace in view of the availability of Allegra. Hoechst Marion Roussel intends to aggressively defend the product and continues to stand firmly behind the safety of Seldane -- and the millions of patients who have found symptom relief from its use. Seldane is safe and effective when used in accordance with the package insert.

Allegra: Our Latest Therapeutic Option

Clinical trials have demonstrated that Allegra provided symptom relief -- even when allergy sufferers were exposed to extremely high pollen levels. Moreover, allergy sufferers can be confident in the safety and side-effect profile of Allegra. Side effects were similar to placebo (sugar pill) in people who took Allegra, including drowsiness, 1.3 percent vs. 0.9 percent. The most commonly reported adverse experiences for Allegra and placebo are cold or flu (2.5 percent vs. 1.5 percent), nausea (1.6 percent vs. 1.5 percent) and menstrual pain (1.5 percent vs. 0.3 percent).

Allegra also offers a substantial cost benefit -- it is the lowest-priced branded nonsedating antihistamine at an average wholesale price 15 percent below other nonsedating competitors. Allegra was cleared for marketing by the FDA for relief of seasonal allergic rhinitis on July 25, 1996.

Hoechst Marion Roussel, the pioneer in nonsedating allergy treatment, is dedicated to extending and enhancing human life through the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical products. Hoechst Marion Roussel, with global headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, and North American headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., is a member of the Hoechst Group.

¹ Effect on ECG parameters (QTc, QT, QRS, PR, and HR) was no different than placebo.

For additional important information, click on “About Allegra.”

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