Last Updated: May 30, 2026

CLINICAL TRIALS PROFILE FOR CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE


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505(b)(2) Clinical Trials for Cetirizine Hydrochloride

This table shows clinical trials for potential 505(b)(2) applications. See the next table for all clinical trials
Trial Type Trial ID Title Status Sponsor Phase Start Date Summary
OTC NCT02024152 ↗ Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics Trial of JDP-205 Injection 10 mg Completed Algorithme Pharma Inc Phase 1 2011-03-01 This study is to investigate the pharmacokinetics (PK) together with the safety and tolerability of JDP-205 at 5 mg and 10 mg intravenous doses and 10 mg intramuscular dose, in comparison to the marketed cetirizine oral product Zyrtec® 10 mg tablets (an OTC product) in healthy male and female volunteers after a single dose administration.
OTC NCT02024152 ↗ Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics Trial of JDP-205 Injection 10 mg Completed JDP Therapeutics, Inc. Phase 1 2011-03-01 This study is to investigate the pharmacokinetics (PK) together with the safety and tolerability of JDP-205 at 5 mg and 10 mg intravenous doses and 10 mg intramuscular dose, in comparison to the marketed cetirizine oral product Zyrtec® 10 mg tablets (an OTC product) in healthy male and female volunteers after a single dose administration.
OTC NCT02865018 ↗ Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) & Cetirizine Completed Guthy Jackson Charitable Foundation Phase 1/Phase 2 2014-04-01 Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Patients have relapses (also known as attacks) which are often quite severe and leave them with significant disability. Without treatment, within 5 years 50% of NMO patients are blind in one or both eyes or require walking assistance (cane, walker or wheelchair). NMO has only been relatively recently described and is fairly rare. Most NMO patients' immune systems produce abnormal antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4), which is found in certain cells in the central nervous system. When these AQP4 antibodies bind to AQP4, they trigger a cascade of events involving the immune system which eventually leads to damage to the nervous system. This ultimately leads to disability, some of which is permanent. Until now, treatments for NMO have been mostly focused on decreasing production of this AQP4 antibody. However, recent experiments in animal models of NMO have shown the importance of what happens inside the central nervous system after the antibody binds to the nervous system cell. Specifically, researchers have noted the importance of a specific cell type, eosinophils, in causing damage in NMO lesions. In a recent study, researchers showed they could prevent damage from NMO by blocking eosinophils using cetirizine, which is a popular over-the-counter allergy medicine. Cetirizine is already known to be safe and well-tolerated in the general population. In this study, the researchers plan to add cetirizine on to patients' current NMO treatment. The researchers aim to show that it is safe, well-tolerated, and that with cetirizine, NMO patients have less relapses and therefore less disability over the course of the year following initiation of treatment. The researchers also plan to study how cetirizine changes the immunological profile in NMO patients by examining blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
OTC NCT02865018 ↗ Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) & Cetirizine Completed Guthy Jackson Foundation Phase 1/Phase 2 2014-04-01 Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Patients have relapses (also known as attacks) which are often quite severe and leave them with significant disability. Without treatment, within 5 years 50% of NMO patients are blind in one or both eyes or require walking assistance (cane, walker or wheelchair). NMO has only been relatively recently described and is fairly rare. Most NMO patients' immune systems produce abnormal antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4), which is found in certain cells in the central nervous system. When these AQP4 antibodies bind to AQP4, they trigger a cascade of events involving the immune system which eventually leads to damage to the nervous system. This ultimately leads to disability, some of which is permanent. Until now, treatments for NMO have been mostly focused on decreasing production of this AQP4 antibody. However, recent experiments in animal models of NMO have shown the importance of what happens inside the central nervous system after the antibody binds to the nervous system cell. Specifically, researchers have noted the importance of a specific cell type, eosinophils, in causing damage in NMO lesions. In a recent study, researchers showed they could prevent damage from NMO by blocking eosinophils using cetirizine, which is a popular over-the-counter allergy medicine. Cetirizine is already known to be safe and well-tolerated in the general population. In this study, the researchers plan to add cetirizine on to patients' current NMO treatment. The researchers aim to show that it is safe, well-tolerated, and that with cetirizine, NMO patients have less relapses and therefore less disability over the course of the year following initiation of treatment. The researchers also plan to study how cetirizine changes the immunological profile in NMO patients by examining blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
OTC NCT02865018 ↗ Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) & Cetirizine Completed Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Phase 1/Phase 2 2014-04-01 Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Patients have relapses (also known as attacks) which are often quite severe and leave them with significant disability. Without treatment, within 5 years 50% of NMO patients are blind in one or both eyes or require walking assistance (cane, walker or wheelchair). NMO has only been relatively recently described and is fairly rare. Most NMO patients' immune systems produce abnormal antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4), which is found in certain cells in the central nervous system. When these AQP4 antibodies bind to AQP4, they trigger a cascade of events involving the immune system which eventually leads to damage to the nervous system. This ultimately leads to disability, some of which is permanent. Until now, treatments for NMO have been mostly focused on decreasing production of this AQP4 antibody. However, recent experiments in animal models of NMO have shown the importance of what happens inside the central nervous system after the antibody binds to the nervous system cell. Specifically, researchers have noted the importance of a specific cell type, eosinophils, in causing damage in NMO lesions. In a recent study, researchers showed they could prevent damage from NMO by blocking eosinophils using cetirizine, which is a popular over-the-counter allergy medicine. Cetirizine is already known to be safe and well-tolerated in the general population. In this study, the researchers plan to add cetirizine on to patients' current NMO treatment. The researchers aim to show that it is safe, well-tolerated, and that with cetirizine, NMO patients have less relapses and therefore less disability over the course of the year following initiation of treatment. The researchers also plan to study how cetirizine changes the immunological profile in NMO patients by examining blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
>Trial Type >Trial ID >Title >Status >Phase >Start Date >Summary

All Clinical Trials for Cetirizine Hydrochloride

Trial ID Title Status Sponsor Phase Start Date Summary
NCT00150761 ↗ Facial Thermography Study of Levocetirizine Versus Cetirizine Completed UCB Pharma Phase 4 2004-07-01 Phase IV, human pharmacology, exploratory, randomized, 3-way (3 treatment periods) cross-over, double blind, double dummy, placebo controlled study to compare levocetirizine and cetirizine by means of IR thermography.
NCT00189397 ↗ Azathioprine Versus Corticosteroids in Parthenium Dermatitis Completed All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi N/A 2003-02-01 The dermatitis caused by the substances which come in contact with the skin is known as contact dermatitis. When such a reaction is caused by the agents suspended in the air, it is called air-borne contact dermatitis (ABCD). Parthenium hysterophorus at present is the commonest cause of ABCD in India though in some cases other plants have also been found to cause ABCD. Parthenium dermatitis is one of the major health problems in dermatology in our country. Though it has very little mortality, the disease normally continues to persist with variable remissions and relapses causing great distress and morbidity. Corticosteroids, topical and systemic have been the mainstay of the treatment so far. Therefore, the patients with ABCD who have to take corticosteroids for long periods of time tend to develop severe and sometimes irreversible side effects of the therapy. Azathioprine is an immunosuppressive drug which acts by inhibiting the T lymphocytes. In our previous studies we have been able to induce remissions in these patients with azathioprine used as daily as well as monthly bolus dose, without having to use systemic corticosteroids. The side effect with azathioprine in these studies were almost absent. We have therefore planned to study the therapeutic efficacy of azathioprine weekly pulse doses versus daily azathioprine in achieving remissions in patients having Parthenium dermatitis and to monitor the side effects of both the regimens.
NCT00253058 ↗ Study Of Perennial Allergic Rhinitis In Pediatrics Completed GlaxoSmithKline Phase 3 2005-07-01 To verify of cetirizine dry syrup to ketotifen dry syrup in the change of total nasal symptom score (TNSS) over the total treatment period from the score of the baseline assessment period
NCT00257569 ↗ Study Of Atopic Dermatitis In Pediatrics Completed GlaxoSmithKline Phase 3 2005-08-01 To verify of cetirizine dry syrup to ketotifen dry syrup in the change in the severity of pruritus of the treatment period.
NCT00257582 ↗ Study Of Cutaneous Disease Accompanied With Pruritus In Pediatrics Completed GlaxoSmithKline Phase 3 2005-08-01 To assess the safety of long-term use of cetirizine dry syrup in children with various type of cutaneous disease accompanied on pruritus.
>Trial ID >Title >Status >Phase >Start Date >Summary

Clinical Trial Conditions for Cetirizine Hydrochloride

Condition Name

Condition Name for Cetirizine Hydrochloride
Intervention Trials
Allergic Rhinitis 11
Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis 9
Healthy 9
Urticaria 6
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Condition MeSH

Condition MeSH for Cetirizine Hydrochloride
Intervention Trials
Rhinitis, Allergic 34
Rhinitis 34
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal 15
Urticaria 12
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Clinical Trial Locations for Cetirizine Hydrochloride

Trials by Country

Trials by Country for Cetirizine Hydrochloride
Location Trials
United States 56
Canada 13
Germany 5
France 3
Japan 3
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Trials by US State

Trials by US State for Cetirizine Hydrochloride
Location Trials
Texas 9
Massachusetts 4
Maryland 4
Indiana 3
California 3
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Clinical Trial Progress for Cetirizine Hydrochloride

Clinical Trial Phase

Clinical Trial Phase for Cetirizine Hydrochloride
Clinical Trial Phase Trials
PHASE3 2
Phase 4 24
Phase 3 21
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Clinical Trial Status

Clinical Trial Status for Cetirizine Hydrochloride
Clinical Trial Phase Trials
Completed 70
Recruiting 12
Unknown status 4
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Clinical Trial Sponsors for Cetirizine Hydrochloride

Sponsor Name

Sponsor Name for Cetirizine Hydrochloride
Sponsor Trials
GlaxoSmithKline 12
UCB Pharma 6
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. 5
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Sponsor Type

Sponsor Type for Cetirizine Hydrochloride
Sponsor Trials
Industry 70
Other 51
NIH 2
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Cetirizine Hydrochloride Clinical Trials Update, Market Analysis, and Exclusivity Projections

Last updated: May 21, 2026

How many clinical trials for cetirizine hydrochloride are ongoing or completed?

Answer: Public clinical-trials registries list cetirizine hydrochloride across a long tail of indications, dosing regimens, pediatric cohorts, and comparative effectiveness studies. Most are completed and cover allergic rhinitis, chronic urticaria, and symptomatic studies; newer “registerable” activity is largely post-approval comparisons, formulation/bioequivalence, and specific population endpoints (pediatrics, geriatrics, special formulations).

Which indications dominate cetirizine hydrochloride trial activity?

Answer: Allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria account for the majority of historical and ongoing trial listings. Other recurring categories include:

  • Seasonal allergic rhinitis symptom control
  • Perennial allergic rhinitis
  • Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU)
  • Quality-of-life and symptom diary endpoints
  • Pediatric dosing and safety/tolerability
  • Comparative studies versus other second-generation antihistamines

What trial designs appear most often?

Answer: The cetirizine hydrochloride evidence base is dominated by:

  • Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (older registries)
  • Active-comparator head-to-head trials (newer comparative effectiveness)
  • Pharmacokinetic (PK) and bioequivalence (BE) studies tied to new dosage forms (tablets, orodispersible, oral drops, chewables, rapid-dissolve, and extended-release where present)
  • Real-world or pragmatic symptom tracking studies (increasing prevalence in recent years)

What dosing and patient populations are most common in cetirizine trials?

Answer: Standard dosing regimens align with labeled use (commonly once-daily in adults and children depending on formulation and age band). Trial listings typically stratify:

  • Pediatric cohorts by age brackets
  • Adult populations stratified by baseline symptom severity
  • Patients with mild to moderate persistent allergic disease
  • CSU patients measured by urticaria activity scoring systems

What is the current market size for cetirizine hydrochloride and how is demand trending?

Answer: Cetirizine hydrochloride is a mature, largely generic, OTC and prescription-adjacent antihistamine. Market dynamics are driven by:

  • Broad availability of generics
  • OTC penetration in seasonal allergic rhinitis periods
  • Competitive pricing and frequent brand-for-generic entry in multiple countries
  • Substitution among second-generation antihistamines (loratadine, fexofenadine, levocetirizine)

Where does revenue come from: OTC vs Rx and which countries lead?

Answer: Revenue is split between OTC and Rx depending on jurisdiction and local reimbursement norms. Country-level leadership is typically tied to:

  • High-grossing allergy markets in North America and Western Europe
  • Strong OTC pharmacy density and seasonal demand in Asia-Pacific
  • Lower pricing elasticity for established consumer brands, with heavy promotions during peak allergy seasons

What product formats sell best for cetirizine hydrochloride?

Answer: The most commercially significant formats are generally:

  • Oral tablets and orally disintegrating or fast-dissolve tablets (where available)
  • Oral liquids/drops for pediatric and difficulty-swallowing use
  • Combination merchandising with allergy season promotions

How do competitors affect cetirizine market share?

Answer: Share loss risk concentrates around:

  • Lower price generics entering after older exclusivity windows
  • Preference shifts to newer or better-tolerated options per local consumer perception
  • Pricing and pack-size competition (seasonal “value packs”)

How does cetirizine hydrochloride compare with other antihistamines on efficacy, tolerability, and label constraints?

Answer: Cetirizine is widely used as a second-generation antihistamine with a longstanding safety profile. Comparative positioning depends on:

  • Symptom control strength (antihistamine class effects)
  • Sedation rates (clinically relevant with cetirizine relative to some peers)
  • Dosing convenience (once daily across many formulations)
  • Pediatric labeling flexibility (not uniform across comparators)

How do second-generation peers compete in clinical practice?

Answer: Market competition usually clusters around:

  • Loratadine and desloratadine (often perceived as less sedating)
  • Fexofenadine (often perceived as low sedation)
  • Levocetirizine (close pharmacologic lineage; often strong clinician acceptance)

When does cetirizine hydrochloride lose exclusivity and what does that mean for generics?

Answer: The active ingredient cetirizine hydrochloride has long passed originator exclusivity in most markets, leaving a landscape dominated by:

  • Generic active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) competition
  • Formulation and device-specific IP (where available)
  • Periodic BE pathways tied to new dosage forms or label refinements

What is the practical exclusivity map for cetirizine hydrochloride?

Answer: Exclusivity is now mostly determined by:

  • Specific branded formulations (if any are still protected in particular regions)
  • Process patents and formulation patents for particular product presentations
  • Patent thickets that are narrower than originator-era exclusivity, and often expired or near expiration for legacy products

What “launch timing” matters for cetirizine generics today?

Answer: Launch timing is usually constrained by:

  • Regulatory readiness and BE/CMC package completeness
  • Supply chain and pricing competitiveness rather than patent entry timing
  • Local regulatory exclusivities (if any apply to new combinations or fixed-dose products)

Are there Paragraph IV (ANDA) or biosimilar-style challenges for cetirizine hydrochloride?

Answer: Cetirizine hydrochloride is not a biologic and generic challenges in the modern sense are typically not a major driver of litigation visibility. Where entry litigation exists, it is usually:

  • Formulation- or process-patent disputes tied to a specific product, not the API broadly
  • Less frequent compared with high-value novel drugs

What formulations and delivery systems are commonly protected and do they change IP risk?

Answer: IP risk today typically attaches to product-specific attributes:

  • Orally disintegrating or rapidly dissolving tablets (composition and manufacturing)
  • Pediatric drops and specific concentration or preservative systems
  • Extended-release or specialized release profiles, if present in a given brand market
  • Taste-masking and excipient systems used in pediatric formulations

Which IP types most often matter for cetirizine product differentiation?

Answer: The most common protective categories for newer entries are:

  • Formulation composition claims (API-excipient ratios, stabilizers, taste masking)
  • Manufacturing process claims (granulation, coating, blending, drying parameters)
  • Particle engineering or solid-state forms where applicable (less common for cetirizine than for niche compounds)

What does FDA regulatory status imply for cetirizine hydrochloride market access?

Answer: Cetirizine hydrochloride products are generally widely available in the US through approved ANDAs and authorized generics. Regulatory milestones are less about first-to-market exclusivity and more about:

  • New formulation approvals
  • Labeling updates for pediatric guidance and dosing
  • BE-based pathway admissions

How do FDA pathways affect competitive entry?

Answer: Competitive entry typically follows:

  • ANDA route for generic dosage forms that reference approved labeling
  • BE requirements for changes in formulation or dosage form
  • Supplemental applications for label and manufacturing changes

What is the competitive landscape for cetirizine hydrochloride and who is likely to win?

Answer: The landscape is dominated by:

  • Large generic manufacturers competing on price, distribution, and supply reliability
  • Retail brand recognition for OTC-facing products where allowed by local marketing rules
  • Differentiation via dosage form convenience (liquid vs solid, ODT vs tablet)

What determines which company wins in a commodity antihistamine market?

Answer: Winners generally manage:

  • Cost-efficient scale manufacturing
  • Consistent quality and low batch rejection rates
  • Strong pharmacy chain coverage and seasonal merchandising
  • Rapid BE execution for incremental formulation changes

Clinical-trials-to-commercialization: does trial activity translate into new commercial products?

Answer: For cetirizine, trial activity tends to translate into:

  • Confirmatory comparative claims (where labeling supplements are pursued)
  • Pediatric dose confirmation and safety expansions within existing frameworks
  • Formulation optimization that supports new BE-ready product SKUs

Key projections for cetirizine hydrochloride through the next 3–7 years

Answer: Projections center on continued volume stability with pricing pressure and periodic SKU expansion:

  • Volume remains resilient due to broad consumer demand in allergic seasons.
  • Pricing remains constrained by generic saturation and seasonal promotions.
  • Growth is more likely from new dosage forms and label packaging strategies than from therapeutic innovation.
  • IP-driven differentiation is limited and increasingly confined to formulation/process patents that are region- and product-specific.

Scenario view: what happens if pricing stays flat vs. price erosion accelerates?

  • Flat pricing: Revenue tracks modestly with volume expansion driven by population aging and OTC penetration.
  • Accelerated price erosion: Revenue can compress despite steady units, pushing manufacturers toward contract manufacturing and high-throughput SKUs.
  • Dosage-form-led growth: Companies that refresh pediatric-friendly formulations and ODT variants can capture incremental shelf share even as active ingredient pricing declines.

Key Takeaways

  • Cetirizine hydrochloride clinical activity is dominated by post-approval comparative, pediatric, and formulation/BE studies rather than originator-era therapeutic breakthroughs.
  • The market is mature and generic-led, with competitive advantage driven by supply chain execution, merchandising, and dosage-form convenience.
  • Exclusivity for the active ingredient has largely expired; modern IP risk is tied to product-specific formulation or process patents in select regions.
  • Market growth over the next 3–7 years is expected to come from SKU-level optimization and periodic label/formulation updates, not new mechanism innovations.

FAQs

  1. What clinical endpoints are most commonly used in cetirizine allergic rhinitis trials?
    Symptom scores, rescue medication use, and patient-reported outcomes, typically tracked over defined allergy-season time windows.

  2. Do cetirizine oral drops have different regulatory requirements than tablets?
    Typically yes at the product level: BE and CMC expectations differ by dosage form, even when referencing the same active ingredient.

  3. Is cetirizine more or less sedating than other second-generation antihistamines?
    Sedation risk depends on comparator, dose, and population; cetirizine is often associated with more noticeable drowsiness than some peers, while remaining broadly well tolerated.

  4. What new cetirizine product types are likely to reach market fastest?
    BE-compatible dosage form upgrades such as ODTs, fast-dissolve tablets, and pediatric-friendly concentrates, subject to local regulatory acceptance.

  5. How do generic substitution policies affect cetirizine pricing and volume?
    Substitution rules and pharmacy benefit designs drive uptake; where substitution is allowed and reimbursement favors generics, unit growth can persist but pricing typically falls.


References

  1. ClinicalTrials.gov. (n.d.). Cetirizine hydrochloride (search results). https://clinicaltrials.gov/
  2. U.S. FDA. (n.d.). Drugs@FDA: Cetirizine hydrochloride (product and labeling information). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/
  3. FDA. (n.d.). Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations (“Orange Book”) for cetirizine-containing products. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/

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