Dasselta

Dasselta is a medicine containing the active substance desloratadine. It is available as tablets (5 mg).

Dasselta is a ‘generic medicine’. This means that Dasselta is similar to a ‘reference medicine’ already authorised in the European Union (EU) called Aerius.

Dasselta is used to relieve the symptoms of allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal passages caused by an allergy, for example, hay fever or allergy to dust mites) or urticaria (a skin condition caused by an allergy, with symptoms including itching and hives).

The medicine can only be obtained with a prescription.

The recommended dose for adults and adolescents (12 years of age and over) is one tablet once a day.

The active substance in Dasselta, desloratadine, is an antihistamine. It works by blocking the receptors on which histamine, a substance in the body that causes allergic symptoms, normally fixes itself. When the receptors are blocked, histamine cannot have its effect, and this leads to a decrease in the symptoms of allergy.

Because Dasselta is a generic medicine, studies in patients have been limited to tests to determine that it is bioequivalent to the reference medicine, Aerius. Two medicines are bioequivalent when they produce the same levels of the active substance in the body.

Because Dasselta is a generic medicine and is bioequivalent to the reference medicine, its benefits and risks are taken as being the same as the reference medicine’s.

The CHMP concluded that, in accordance with EU requirements, Dasselta has been shown to have comparable quality and to be bioequivalent to Aerius. Therefore, the CHMP’s view was that, as for Aerius, the benefit outweighs the identified risk. The Committee recommended that Dasselta be given marketing authorisation.

The European Commission granted a marketing authorisation valid throughout the European Union for Dasselta on 28 November 2011.

For more information about treatment with Dasselta, read the package leaflet (also part of the EPAR) or contact your doctor or pharmacist.