Press releases

Stallergenes Greer Foundation celebrates excellence in allergy innovation with 2025 Awards

Baar (Switzerland), May 27, 2026 – The Stallergenes Greer Foundation, dedicated to advancing allergy research, fostering innovation and addressing environmental factors which impact allergies, is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2025 edition of its prestigious Science Awards for Allergy. Building on the success of the previous edition, this year’s awards recognise outstanding contributions to allergy research and patient engagement and allocate a total of €100,000 to support these initiatives.
Four researchers have been selected by the Board as award recipients, each receiving €25,000 across two categories:

Innovation In Treatment Awards

• Assoc. Professor Alexander Eggel, PhD, Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern, and Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital Bern, Switzerland, recognised for his research: “Improving diagnostic and therapeutic options for allergic patients”;
• Dr Janice A. Layhadi, PhD, Research Associate, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, United Kingdom, recognised for her research: “Integrated multi-omics approach to elucidate cellular and molecular pathways modulated by allergen-specific immunotherapy in innate lymphoid cells”;
• Dr Laurent Reber, PhD, Research Director, ERC team “Asthma, Allergy & Immunotherapy”, Inserm, INFINITY Institute, Toulouse, France, recognised for his research: “Development of allergen-specific mRNA vaccines for the treatment of allergic diseases”.

Patient Commitment Award

• Dr Pablo Rodríguez del Río, MD, PhD, Allergy Department, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús. Fundación para la investigación Biomédica del Hospital Niño Jesús. Instituto de Investigación Hospital de La Princesa. Madrid, Spain, recognised for his work: “Understanding patient’s perspective and relevance of food immunotherapy outcomes. The COFAITH project”.

Dominique Pezziardi, Chairman of the Stallergenes Greer Foundation, expresses his congratulations to the award recipients. “These researchers represent exactly what our Foundation stands for: innovation grounded in real patient impact. Their contributions move the science forward and help ensure better care for people living with allergies everywhere.”

The Scientific Board highlighted the breadth and quality of the awarded projects, spanning cutting-edge therapeutic innovation, improved diagnostics and a deeper understanding of patient needs in allergy management.

The Stallergenes Greer Foundation extends its thanks to all applicants and acknowledges the invaluable contribution of the Scientific Board in the selection process.

About the research projects

Alexander Eggel’s research seeks to enhance both the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases through a translational and patient-centred approach. His team has developed a novel ex vivo mast cell activation test capable of accurately assessing allergen-specific responses from patient samples, offering a safer and more predictive alternative to conventional diagnostic methods. In parallel, his work on next-generation anti-IgE biologics (Effector Cell Response Inhibitors; ECRIs) introduces multifunctional therapies that rapidly disarm allergic effector cells in three ways: prevent binding of free IgE, actively remove precomplexed IgE from its high-affinity receptor, and down-regulate IgE receptor levels. Together, these innovations aim to improve precision, safety, and efficacy in allergy management.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.16341

Janice A. Layhadi’s research aims to better understand the biological mechanisms underlying allergen immunotherapy (AIT) through advanced multi-omics approaches. By integrating single-cell transcriptomics, epigenetics, and proteomics, her work identifies key cellular pathways involved in immune tolerance and distinguishes responders from non-responders to treatment. Her discovery of regulatory innate lymphoid cell subsets and associated signalling pathways provides valuable insights for the development of predictive biomarkers. Ultimately, her research supports more personalised, targeted, and effective allergy treatments, addressing unmet needs in diseases such as allergic rhinitis.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33450188/

Laurent Reber’s research focuses on developing innovative vaccine strategies aimed at providing long-term protection against allergic diseases. His work explores the induction of endogenous neutralising antibodies targeting key drivers of allergic inflammation, such as IL-4, IL-13, and IgE. By demonstrating sustained protection against asthma, dermatitis, and anaphylaxis in preclinical models, his approach could offer a cost-effective and durable alternative to current biologic therapies. In parallel, his research on mRNA-based allergen vaccines, particularly targeting birch pollen allergy, opens new perspectives for next-generation immunotherapy, with the potential to improve long-term efficacy and patient outcomes.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.15680

Pablo Rodríguez del Río’s research brings a critical patient-centred perspective to food allergen immunotherapy (FAIT). Through an international, multicentre EACCI Task force study involving patients and caregivers, his work explores which treatment outcomes matter most to those directly affected. By analysing patient-reported outcomes, quality of life measures, and treatment expectations across diverse populations, his research reveals the complexity and variability of patient preferences. These findings highlight the importance of integrating patient perspectives into clinical decision-making and support the development of more tailored, shared approaches to allergy treatment.

https://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198(25)00418-0/abstract

About the Stallergenes Greer Foundation

The Stallergenes Greer Foundation, under the aegis of the Fondation de France, is a non-profit foundation whose aim is to build healthier futures for all. The Stallergenes Greer Foundation pursues a comprehensive approach calling for “the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally, to attain optimal health for people, animals and our environment”, as defined by the One Health initiative.
The scientific Board is composed of a panel of internationally renowned experts:
• Pascal Demoly, Professor of Pulmonology and Head of Department at the University Hospital of Montpellier (France)
• Alessandro Fiocchi, MD, Director of Allergy at Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome (Italy)
• Carla Irani, Associate Professor, Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Allergology - Immunological Asthma at Hôtel Dieu de France University Medical Center, Beirut (Lebanon)
• Kari Nadeau, MD, PhD, Chair of the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston (MA, U.S.A.)

Read more: www.stallergenesgreer-foundation.org

About Fondation de France

Created in 1969, Fondation de France is a private organisation recognised as being of public interest, whose mission is to support all forms of generosity and translate them into effective actions of general interest. With close to 1,000 hosted foundations, the Fondation de France supports more than 10,000 promising and innovative initiatives each year, in France and abroad. Independent and private, it operates thanks to the generosity of donors.

CONTACT

Stallergenes Greer Foundation

Catherine Kress
Secretary General
Tel: +33 (0)1 55 50 26 05
Email: catherine.kress@stallergenesgreer.com

Stallergenes Greer expands venom immunotherapy production capacity with acquisition of ENTOMON S.R.L.

Baar (Switzerland), January 07, 2026 – Stallergenes Greer, a global leader in allergy therapeutics, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Entomon s.r.l., an Italian company specialising in the production of certified stinging-insect venom extracts, notably of the Hymenoptera order, used for the manufacture of diagnostic preparations and Venom Immunotherapy (VIT). The transaction is expected to close by the end of January.

Entomon, currently recognised as the only company in Europe capable of extracting pure venom from Hymenoptera insects, produces pharmaceutical-grade insect venom using proprietary techniques (Entomon Capillary Extracted Venom®) for medical use.

Through this acquisition, Stallergenes Greer bolsters its venom manufacturing capabilities and supply of raw materials for life-saving VIT treatments, whilst safeguarding patient care continuity.

Hymenoptera venom allergy is the most common trigger of severe anaphylaxis in adults¹ . According to the EAACI guidelines on venom immunotherapy, VIT is the only treatment that can prevent systemic inflammatory reactions to bee or wasp stings and significantly improve quality of life, even for people with less severe allergic reactions².

“Entomon’s activities complement Stallergenes Greer’s portfolio and strengthen our control of critical allergen extracts, notably Hymenoptera venoms used in allergen immunotherapy” stated Dr. Andreas Amrein, Chairman and CEO of Stallergenes Greer. “This acquisition secures long-term access to high-quality venom extracts in a market constrained by limited global capacity. It also builds on our existing partnerships and supports a diversified model for venom immunotherapy components. By reinforcing supply chain diversification and building on our well-established position in venom immunotherapy with Albey®, we strengthen our ability to support patients and healthcare professionals worldwide and deliver on our long-term commitment to high-standard, reliable allergy care. We are delighted to welcome Entomon to the Stallergenes Greer Group.”

“Becoming part of Stallergenes Greer marks a transformative moment for Entomon. It is a testament to our expertise in the extraction of pure Hymenoptera venom and our ability to deliver high-quality raw materials which are essential for life-saving allergen immunotherapies. We are excited to embark on this new chapter,” declared Dr. Elisabetta Francescato, CEO and founder of Entomon s.r.l.

About hymenoptera venom allergies

Stinging-insect venom sensitisation is common in the general population (between 9.3% and 28.7%), and more than half of the population will be stung by an insect at least once in their lifetime depending on the living environment and type of activity.^{3 4}

Venom allergy is an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reaction triggered by stings from insects such as bees, wasps, hornets, or other Hymenoptera species. While local reactions are common and usually mild, venom-allergic individuals can experience systemic responses ranging from widespread hives to severe anaphylaxis. Hymenoptera venom allergy is the primary cause of anaphylaxis in adults in Europe, being responsible for 48.2% of cases and 20.2% in children worldwide⁵. Based on national mortality surveillance, fatal anaphylaxis due to Hymenoptera stings accounts for approximately 72 deaths per year in the United States⁶, while European data indicate a comparable burden of about 73 deaths annually across 32 countries⁷.

Diagnosis relies on a combination of clinical history, skin testing, and specific IgE measurement to identify the responsible insect. Venom immunotherapy is the only treatment proven to modify the natural course of venom allergy. It provides long-term protection by inducing immune tolerance⁸, markedly reducing the risk of systemic reactions to future stings and improving patients’ quality of life.

Because Hymenoptera venoms differ by species, the availability and quality of venom extracts are essential to enable accurate diagnosis and effective immunotherapy, ensuring patients receive targeted and reliable treatment.

About Albey® Venoms

Albey® Venoms are standardised purified extracts derived from hymenoptera species, including honeybee (Apis mellifera), yellow jacket (Vespula spp.), and paper wasp (Polistes spp.). These extracts are specifically designed for Venom Immunotherapy (VIT), the only proven treatment to prevent severe systemic allergic reactions.

Albey® holds marketing authorisations in France, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. It is also available in Italy under ope legis status.

About Entomon

Based in Florence (Italy), Entomon s.r.l. is a privately held company established by leading biologists and naturalists with deep expertise in the study of insects and their impact on human health and activity. The company specialises in the extraction of pure insect venom extracts for diagnostic reagents and venom immunotherapy for individuals with insect sting allergies. Entomon is the sole producer in Europe of insect of pure, certified Hymenoptera venom extracts. For more information, please visit: www.entomon.it

About Stallergenes Greer

Headquartered in Baar (Switzerland), Stallergenes Greer is a global healthcare company specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies through the development and commercialisation of allergen immunotherapy products and services. Supported by more than 100 years of expertise and innovation, our products are available for patients in over 40 countries. For more information, please visit www.stallergenesgreer.com.

CONTACT

Stallergenes Greer                             
Communications                                         

Catherine Kress                                            
Tel: +33 (0)1 55 50 26 05                        
Email: catherine.kress@stallergenesgreer.com

¹ Hymenoptera (bee and wasp) Stevens et al. Recent insights into the mechanisms of anaphylaxis. Curr Opin Immunol. 2023 Apr;81
² EAACI guidelines on allergen immunotherapy: Hymenoptera venom allergy (Allergy. 2018 Apr;73(4):744-764)
³ Bilò, M. B., Pravettoni, V., Bignardi, D., Bonadonna, P., Mauro, M., Novembre, E., ... & Pastorello, E. A. (2019). Hymenoptera venom allergy: management of children and adults in clinical practice. Journal of investigational allergology & clinical immunology, 29(3), 180-205.
 ⁴ Golden, D. B., Demain, J., Freeman, T., Graft, D., Tankersley, M., Tracy, J., ... & Wallace, D. (2017). Stinging insect hypersensitivity: a practice parameter update 2016. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 118(1), 28-5
⁵ Rueff et al., (2023) Diagnosis and treatment of Hymenoptera venom allergy  
⁶ QuickStats: Number of Deaths from Hornet, Wasp, and Bee Stings Among Males and Females — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2011–2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:756.
⁷ Feás, X.; Vidal, C.; Remesar, S. What We Know about Sting-Related Deaths? Human Fatalities Caused by Hornet, Wasp and Bee Stings in Europe (1994–2016). Biology 2022, 11, 282. https:// doi.org/10.3390/biology11020282
⁸ Golden et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011 Apr ;127(4):852-4.e1-23