Xolair (Omalizumab) for Asthma

Overview
Xolair is a prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults and children 6 years of age and older with moderate to severe asthma that is not controlled adequately with an inhaled corticosteroid. Xolair may be prescribed in cases where there are positive results for a skin test for airborne allergens. Xolair is also referred to by its drug name, omalizumab.

Xolair is a member of a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies. In some people with allergic asthma, the body makes too much of a protein called immunoglobulin E (IgE), which interacts with allergens and white blood cells to cause allergic reactions. Xolair is believed to work by preventing the binding of IgE to white blood cells, thus reducing the severity of the allergic reactions associated with asthma (airway swelling, smooth muscle contraction, etc.).

How do I take it?
Xolair is given as a subcutaneous (under your skin) injection, either by a health care professional, a caregiver, or the person receiving the drug. Xolair is usually given in a health clinic or doctor’s office once every two or four weeks. It should be administered according to the frequency specified by the physician.

Xolair is available only as a subcutaneous injection.

Side effects
The FDA-approved label for Xolair lists common side effects including joint pain, arm and leg pain, fatigue, dizziness, fracture, itching, rash, earache, headache, nausea, upper abdominal pain, middle ear infection, and nosebleeds.

Rare but serious side effects listed for Xolair include life-threatening allergic reactions, severe asthma attacks, malignant neoplasms, eosinophilic conditions, parasitic (helminth) infection, and serum sickness (a condition involving fever, joint pain, and rash).

For more details about this treatment, visit:

Xolair — Genentech
https://www.xolair.com/

Omalizumab (Subcutaneous Route) — Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/om...

Omalizumab Injection — MedlinePlus
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a603031.html