Odactra
Odactra contains house dust mite allergen extract. It's used as immunotherapy for treating allergy symptoms, like runny nose and itchy eyes, caused by dust mites. Odactra is approved for people age 5 to 65 years old. You take the tablet once a day by placing it under the tongue until it dissolves. Common side effects include throat irritation and itchy ears. Since Odactra can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction, you need to take your first dose at a medical office. Odactra is a brand-name medication and doesn't have a generic yet.
What is Odactra?
What is Odactra used for?
- Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) caused by house dust mites
How Odactra works
Odactra is an allergen extract that's made from house dust mites. The way the medication works isn't fully known. But it's thought to treat allergy symptoms caused by house dust mites by changing the way your immune system reacts to them.
Drug facts
Side effects of Odactra
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
Adults 18 to 65 years old:
- Irritation or tickle in the throat (67%)
- Itchy mouth (61%)
- Itchy ear (52%)
- Swelling in the back of the mouth (20%)
- Swelling of the lips (18%)
- Swelling of the tongue (16%)
- Nausea (14%)
- Throat swelling (14%)
- Tongue pain (14%)
- Sore on the tongue (12%)
- Stomach pain (11%)
- Mouth sore (10%)
- Changes in taste (10%)
Children 12 to 17 years old:
- Irritation or tickle in the throat (73%)
- Itchy mouth (73%)
- Itchy ear (50%)
- Tongue pain (25%)
- Stomach pain (23%)
- Swelling in the back of the mouth (20%)
- Swelling of the lips (20%)
- Swelling of the tongue (19%)
- Swelling of the throat (18%)
- Nausea (17%)
- Sore on the tongue (13%)
- Mouth sore (11%)
Children 5 to 11 years old:
- Itchy mouth (57%)
- Itchy ear (33%)
- Stomach pain (28%)
- Swelling of the lips (21%)
- Tongue pain (19%)
- Nausea (16%)
- Swelling in the back of the mouth (14%)
- Swelling of the tongue (14%)
- Mouth sore (10%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Itchy tongue
- Pain in the mouth
- Tingling in the mouth
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
Odactra serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Serious allergic reaction: trouble breathing, throat swelling or tightness, chest tightness, swelling of your lips or tongue, dizziness, fainting, fast heartbeat, rash, flushing or itching of the skin, stomach pain or cramps, vomiting, diarrhea
The following Odactra side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Heartburn, pain or trouble swallowing, chest pain that does not go away or gets worse
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Burning or tingling of the tongue, mouth, throat, or face
- Irritation inside the mouth or throat
- Itching of the mouth, lips, tongue, or ears
- Mild swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue, or throat
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Pros and cons of Odactra
Pros
- Dissolves under the tongue, so it's easy to take
- Only need to take once a day
- Helps improve overall allergy symptoms from house dust mites in the long run
- Treats the cause of your allergies and not just the symptoms
Cons
- Not for quick relief of allergy symptoms
- Can cause severe, life-threatening allergic reactions
- Not recommended if you can't use or aren't willing to use an epinephrine autoinjector like Epipen in case of a severe allergic reaction
- Can't swallow for 1 minute and can't eat or drink for 5 minutes after taking
Pharmacist tips for Odactra
- You have to take your first Odactra dose at a medical office and stay for at least 30 minutes. A healthcare professional will watch for signs of a serious allergic reaction, like trouble breathing, swelling in your face or throat, rash, or fast heartbeat. If you don't have a reaction, you can keep taking Odactra at home. Be sure to have an epinephrine autoinjector like an EpiPen ready in case of an allergic reaction.
- Keep Odactra tablets sealed in the original packaging. Only take the tablet out from the blister card right before you take the medication. This helps protect the tablets from moisture in the air, which can damage them.
- Carefully remove the foil covering the Odactra tablet with dry hands. If your hands are wet, the tablet can start to dissolve in your hands and you might not get the full dose of medication.
- After you take out 1 Odactra tablet from the blister card, place it under your tongue right away. Keep the tablet there until it's completely dissolved (takes about 10 seconds). Don't swallow the tablet whole, and don't take the tablet with food or drink. Wash your hands afterwards to make sure there isn't any powder or residue from the tablet on your hands.
- Once the Odactra tablet fully dissolves, don't swallow for at least 1 minute. And avoid eating or drinking for 5 minutes after the tablet dissolves. This helps make sure all of the medication gets absorbed from under your tongue.
- Make sure you know you to recognize signs of an allergic reaction and how to use an epinephrine autoinjector like an EpiPen. If you have an allergic reaction to Odactra, inject the epinephrine into the middle of your outer thigh and call 911 right away. Look out for symptoms like trouble breathing, swelling of tongue or lips, or a rash.
- If you have a mouth sore or thrush, call your prescriber right away. Also contact them right away if you recently had any oral surgery. You'll need to stop taking Odactra until your mouth completely heals. Odactra can cause mouth irritation, which can affect the healing process.
- If you forget to take your Odactra dose, skip the missed dose. Then, take the medication the next day at your usual time. Don't take 2 tablets to make up the missed dose. If you miss more than 1 tablet of Odactra, let your prescriber know so they can tell you what to do next.
- Let your healthcare professional know that you're taking Odactra before you start any new medications or other allergen immunotherapies. There are some medications, like beta blockers, that can prevent epinephrine or rescue inhalers from working well to treat allergic reactions. Using more than one allergen immunotherapy at the same time might raise your risk for severe allergic reactions.
Common questions about Odactra
It doesn't matter what time of day you take Odactra. But you should try to take it at the same time every day. Choose a time that's easiest for you to remember to take your medication regularly.
It's possible for Odactra to cause itchy eyes as a side effect, but it's not very common. It's more likely that Odactra will help reduce itchy eyes due to dust mite allergies in the long run. Contact a healthcare professional if you have itchy eyes that bother you while you're taking Odactra. They can recommend ways to relieve itchy eyes or check your eye out for other problems.
Odactra isn't known to cause weight gain. If you notice a change in your weight that concerns you, speak to your care team.
Odactra won't work right away to relieve your allergy symptoms. It can take about 2 to 3 months before you notice that your allergy symptoms are improving, as long as you take Odactra every day. Talk to your prescriber if your symptoms don't improve after a few months of treatment.
Most people with dust mite allergies need to take Odactra all year to keep their symptoms under control. For lasting effects, you might need to take it for 3 to 5 years. Talk to your prescriber to find out how long you need to take Odactra for.
Allergy shots and Odactra are both immunotherapy treatments that help with allergy symptoms. But they have a few key differences. Allergy shots are typically given under the skin every 1 to 6 weeks, depending on your treatment stage. Odactra is a tablet that dissolves under the tongue and you take it once daily. Both treatments can take 3 to 5 years to provide lasting relief. Talk to your prescriber to learn more about these allergy treatments.
We don't know whether Odactra is safe to take during pregnancy. There aren't any studies yet about about whether it's safe for people who are pregnant to take. If you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk to your prescriber about the risks and benefits to you and your baby.
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Risks and warnings for Odactra
Odactra can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Severe allergic reactions
- Risk factors: History of severe allergic reaction
Odactra can cause serious allergic reactions, including a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. This medication might not be safe if you have health problems that make it harder to survive an allergic reaction, like lung problems, a recent heart attack, or uncontrolled asthma. It also might not be right for you if you take medications that could affect how emergency treatments work, like beta blockers. Talk to your prescriber to see if Odactra is safe for you.
You must take your first dose of Odactra at your prescriber's office and stay there for at least 30 minutes. The healthcare team will watch for signs of a serious allergic reaction.
If you don't have a severe reaction to the first dose of Odactra, you can take the rest of your doses at home. You'll be prescribed an epinephrine autoinjector like an EpiPen. Your care team will teach you how to use it in case of an allergic reaction at home. If you have trouble breathing, chest tightness, swelling of your lips or tongue, or a rash, inject epinephrine into your thigh muscle and call 911 right away.
Difficulty breathing
- Risk factors: Asthma
Odactra can cause side effects in the mouth and throat that can make it harder for you to breathe. They can include swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat and mouth pain. Stop taking Odactra and let your prescriber know if you're having any side effects that make you have trouble breathing. Also stop taking the medication and tell your prescriber if you're having an asthma attack because it might be even harder to breathe.
Trouble swallowing (eosinophilic esophagitis)
Some people taking allergen immunotherapy tablets dissolved under the tongue developed eosinophilic esophagitis. This happens when the immune system attacks the esophagus (the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach). It can lead to problems like trouble eating or drinking, stomach pain, and chest pain. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking Odactra and tell your prescriber so they can check it out.
Odactra dosage
Dose pack| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 sublingual tablets of 12 SQ-HDM | 1 dose pack | $311.21 | $311.21 |
Typical dosage for Odactra
Each dissolvable tablet of Odactra contains 12 SQ-HDM. SQ is a measure of how strong the medication is and HDM stands for house dust mite.
The typical dose for Odactra is 1 tablet dissolved under your tongue once a day.
Note: You have to take the first dose at a medical office. A healthcare professional needs to check that the medication is safe for you before you can continue treatment at home.
How much does Odactra cost?
$311.21
Odactra contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Odactra will not be safe for you to take.
- Severe, unstable, or uncontrolled asthma
- History of a severe allergic reaction
- History of severe reaction around the mouth after taking other allergen immunotherapy dissolved under the tongue
- History of eosinophilic esophagitis (a condition where your body's immune system attacks the tube connecting your mouth to your stomach)
What are alternatives to Odactra?
Odactra images
