The Effects of Ectoin® Allergy Nasal Spray and Ectoin® Allergy Eye Drops Compared to Placebo

Inclusion criteria

• Patients must have a clinical history of SAR with seasonal onset and offset of nasal and ocular allergy symptoms at least during each of the last two ragweed allergy seasons.
• Adults (males and females) aged 18 to 65, inclusive.
• Patients must have documentation of a positive skin test within 12 months of screening to ragweed or a positive skin prick and/or intradermal test for ragweed allergen at Visit 1. A positive response is defined as a wheal diameter of at least 3 mm larger than the negative control for the skin prick test or at least 7 mm larger than the negative control for the intradermal test.
• Non-pregnant, non-lactating women not of childbearing potential who are post-menopausal [defined as at least 6 months natural spontaneous amenorrhea], or are surgically sterile (hysterectomy; bilateral oophorectomy; bilateral tubal ligation with surgery at least 6 weeks prior to study initiation). Surgical sterility should be supported with clinical documentation.

Females must have a confirmed absence of pregnancy according to a negative serum pregnancy test or urine pregnancy test at the times described in Section 11.

Female subjects of child bearing potential must agree to use a reliable and highly effective method of birth control with a low failure rate (i.e. less than 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly (e.g. implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, some IUDs, sexual abstinence or vasectomised partners) during the trial, as judged by the investigator. For subjects using a hormonal contraceptive method, information regarding the product under evaluation and its potential effect on the contraceptive should be addressed.

• In generally good health on the basis of medical history and physical examination.
• Willingness to attend all study visits.
• Capable of following and understanding instructions.
• Willing and able to provide written informed consent prior to initiation of any study procedures, including initiation of washout of any concomitant medications.

Exclusion criteria

• Asthma based on medical history or investigator judgment (stable mild asthmatics may be included).
• Current smoker and ex-smokers with more than 10 pack years smoking history. One pack year is defined as 20 cigarettes/day for 1 year. Smoking must have been stopped more than 6 months ago
• History of lower or upper airway infection in the last four weeks prior to screening.
• Clinically significant physical findings of nasal anatomical deformities causing greater than 50% obstruction based on the clinical estimate of the investigator, including nasal polyps, septal defects or other clinically significant respiratory tract malformations, nasal piercing, recent nasal biopsy, nasal trauma, or surgery and atrophic rhinitis or rhinitis medicamentosa within 60 days prior to the Screening Visit.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding, or plans to become pregnant or donate gametes (ova or sperm) for in vitro fertilization during the study period, or for 30 days following the study period.
• Currently participating in a clinical trial or has been exposed to an investigational treatment within the 30 days prior to the Screening Visit.
• A known or suspected hypersensitivity, and/or contraindication to any of the ingredients of the investigational products.
• History of alcohol or drug abuse, as judged by the investigator, within the two years prior to the Screening Visit.
• Use of any of the prohibited medications within the identified exclusion periods (see Section 3.2.4)
• Any acute or chronic disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, would affect the study objectives or subject safety (e.g., Diabetes mellitus type I, malignant neoplasia, chronic renal failure, inflammatory diseases of liver or kidneys, emphysema, bronchiectasis).
• Any clinically significant (as determined by the investigator) psychiatric and/or psychological disorders, including impairment of cooperation (e.g. alcohol or drug abuse).
• Patients not able to follow study procedures (e.g. language problems, psychological disorders).
• Suspected non-compliance to study protocol. Non-compliance is e.g. application of less than 60% (according to post treatment container's weight) or missing more than one application on either of the last two days before EEC.