Montreal-based Hoechst Marion Roussel Canada is hoping to have Allegra, a reformulated version of the company’s non-drowsy antihistamine brand Seldane, on the market in time for the May start of allergy season.

Allegra, an over-the-counter medication which hmr says does not cause the problems that have been associated with its Seldane brand, is currently awaiting approval from the Health Protection Branch of Health Canada.

Seldane and competitive product Hismanal were moved behind the counter in 1992 so that pharmacists could screen purchases following reported incidents of symptoms such as irregular heartbeat when the medications were combined with certain prescription drugs. At the time, Seldane was category leader.

Allegra is hmr’s chance to get a non-drowsy antihistamine product back in front of the counter and to challenge Claritin’s leadership of the category.

Harry Jenkins, senior brand manager of antihistamines for hmr, says there has been little promotion behind Seldane recently but expects Allegra will get a major send-off when approved.

SMW Advertising is hmr’s agency.

The allergy remedy segment is one of Canada’s largest single non-prescription categories and is estimated to be worth well in excess of $100 million.

Allegra has been approved in the u.s., the u.k., New Zealand and Australia but is sold otc only in New Zealand.

Available in the u.s. since last August, where all products in this category are available by prescription only, hmr recently launched a us$35 million advertising push to get consumers to switch from Seldane to Allegra because the country’s Food & Drug Administration wants to pull Seldane from the market altogether.