Kaléo Launches AUVI-Q Speaks Up™ Focused on Real-World Preparedness for Anaphylaxis
New campaign elevates real voices and delivers practical, easy-to-use resources to help people recognize and respond to allergic emergencies
GLEN ALLEN, VA, May 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kaléo, a global leader in drug-delivery device combinations and auto-injector innovation and the makers of the only epinephrine auto-injector with voice guidance, AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection), today announced the launch of AUVI-Q Speaks Up™, a new campaign that brings together trusted voices from across the severe allergy community and practical, easy-to-use resources to encourage open conversations about recognizing and responding to anaphylaxis. AUVI-Q Speaks Up™ will explore what it truly means to be prepared for allergic emergencies across every life stage, from infants newly diagnosed and entering the care of others to children gaining independence and adults confidently managing their allergies on their own.
For the approximately 32 million people in the United States living with food allergies, guidance around food allergy prevention and anaphylaxis management has evolved significantly over the past decade, with increasing emphasis on early food allergen introduction, prompt epinephrine use and preparedness across age groups.
Despite this progress, real-world response remains inconsistent. Studies estimate that only about 26 percent of people experiencing anaphylaxis receive epinephrine prior to receiving professional medical care, highlighting a critical gap between clinical recommendations and real-world action.
“Developed by patients for patients®, AUVI-Q features voice instructions that guide users step by step during an allergic emergency, whether they are experienced or using an auto-injector for the first time, so they can act without hesitation when every moment matters,” said Michael Wells, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kaléo. “AUVI-Q is part of allergy emergency plans across every stage of life, from infancy to adulthood, for adults and children 16.5 lb or more. AUVI-Q Speaks Up builds on this preparedness by bringing that familiar voice together with the voices of the severe allergy community to help translate preparedness into everyday action.”
The familiar voice of AUVI-Q is provided by Melissa Chase, whose clear, step-by-step instructions guide users through an allergic emergency when every moment matters. Having served as a guide for people using AUVI-Q over the years, Chase is now lending her voice to AUVI-Q Speaks Up to help share real-world experiences from the severe allergy community. She is an award-winning broadcast professional based in Richmond, Va., and participates in the campaign by engaging with patients, caregivers and healthcare providers about their experiences.
AUVI-Q’s patient-centric design supports real-world use, with features including:
- A compact, portable size.
- Visual and audio cues that confirm when the medication has been delivered.
In one usability study, correct demonstration rates were higher among AUVI-Q users compared with other auto-injectors. Real-world claims analyses have also shown lower inpatient hospitalization rates for anaphylaxis among AUVI-Q patients compared with other auto-injectors. Talk to your doctor about possible side effects of epinephrine including headache, dizziness, palpitations, sweating, or shakiness. These are not all the side effects.
“As an allergist, a mother of children with food allergies, and a person living with food allergies myself, I’ve seen how quickly a reaction can escalate and how important it is to be prepared,” said Dr. Vivian Hernandez-Trujillo, Founder of Allergy and Immunology Care Center of South Florida and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Herbert Wertheim School of Medicine, Florida International University in Miami and Kaléo spokesperson. “Having a plan, carrying two doses of epinephrine at all times and knowing how to use it in a high-stress situation can make a critical difference in helping families recognize what’s happening and respond right away.”
Through AUVI-Q Speaks Up, Kaléo is inviting patients, caregivers and healthcare providers to share their experiences managing severe allergies and responding to allergic emergencies with AUVI-Q. By bringing these perspectives together alongside practical resources, the campaign aims to support preparedness and encourage more consistent action during an allergic emergency.
To learn more about AUVI-Q Speaks Up, access resources or share your story, visit www.AUVI-QSpeaksUp.com
What is AUVI-Q?
AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection) is a prescription medicine used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions including anaphylaxis in adults and children who weigh 16.5 pounds or more who are at risk for or have a history of serious allergic reactions. AUVI-Q is for immediate self (or caregiver) administration.
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about AUVI-Q?
- Always carry two AUVI-Q devices with you because you may not know when a life-threatening allergic reaction may happen. If a second dose of AUVI-Q is needed, it should be given starting 5 minutes after the first. If you need more than 2 doses of epinephrine for a single anaphylaxis episode, more doses must be given by a healthcare provider.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about when it is necessary to get medical care for further treatment of the allergic emergency after using AUVI-Q.
If you have certain medical conditions, or take certain medicines, your condition may get worse or you may have more or longer lasting side effects when you use AUVI-Q.
Before using AUVI-Q, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, especially if you have heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid problems, kidney problems, history of depression, Parkinson’s disease, or are pregnant (or plan to become pregnant), are breastfeeding (or plan to breastfeed).
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. AUVI-Q and other medicines may affect each other, causing side effects.
AUVI-Q may cause serious side effects.
AUVI-Q should only be injected into your outer thigh, through your clothing if necessary. Do not inject AUVI-Q into your veins, buttocks, fingers, toes, hands, or feet. If this occurs, go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away and inform the healthcare provider of the location of the accidental injection.
Rarely, people who use AUVI-Q may get infections at the injection site within a few days of an injection. Some of these infections can be serious. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following at an injection site: redness that does not go away, swelling, tenderness, the area feels warm to the touch.
If you inject a young child or infant with AUVI-Q, hold their leg firmly in place before and during the injection to prevent injuries. Ask your healthcare provider to show you how to properly hold the leg during an injection.
Common side effects of AUVI-Q include: fast, irregular, or ‘pounding’ heartbeat, sweating, shakiness, headache, paleness, feelings of over excitement, nervousness, or anxiety, weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, breathing problems. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects of AUVI-Q.
You are encouraged to report side effects to kaléo, Inc. at 1-877-302-8847 or to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.
About Kaléo
Kaléo is a global leader in drug-delivery device technology and auto-injector innovation, providing millions of patients with security and peace of mind. Our patented Aerio™ platform, with unmatched capabilities and Human Factors Engineering, powers our portfolio of auto-injector products, as well as products under development for third parties.
About AUVI-Q (0.3 mg, 0.15 mg and 0.1 mg)
AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection) is a prescription medicine used to treat emergency allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are at risk for or who have a history of serious allergic reactions. AUVI-Q contains epinephrine, a first-line treatment for severe allergic reactions that occur as a result of exposure to allergens including food such as peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, soy and wheat; insect stings or bites; latex and medication, among other allergens and causes.
AUVI-Q is the only compact epinephrine auto-injector with a voice instruction system that helps guide patients and caregivers step-by-step through the injection process, and a needle that automatically retracts following administration. In anaphylaxis emergencies, it is often individuals without medical training who need to step in and deliver potentially life-saving epinephrine. AUVI-Q was designed through careful analysis of the situations where epinephrine auto-injectors are used and with significant input from the allergy community that relies on it, incorporating Human Factors Engineering (HFE). HFE is about designing products or systems that are easy to operate and, most importantly, support correct use, with the goal to remove the potential for error. For more information about AUVI-Q visit www.auvi-q.com.
Media Contact: media.inquiries@kaleo.com
AUVI-Q Speaks Up™ is a trademark, and AUVI-Q® and AUVI-q® are registered trademarks of kaleo, Inc.
©2026 kaleo, Inc. CM-US-AQ-3972.
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Carrie Siragusa Kaléo media.inquiries@kaleo.com
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