title: Targeting immunoglobulin E as a novel treatment for asthma.
abstract: Omalizumab is a recently developed monoclonal anti-IgE antibody. Clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy in patients with moderate-to-severe and severe or poorly controlled allergic asthma, in patients with seasonal and perennial allergic disease, and in subjects with concomitant asthma and allergic rhinitis. Patients with more severe asthma appear to obtain the greatest benefit from omalizumab therapy. Omalizumab is well tolerated and has a good safety profile. Anti-inflammatory activity has been shown in both allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis. These results confirm the importance of IgE in allergic disease and support the rationale behind the development of a therapeutic anti-IgE antibody. Omalizumab is a significant addition to current asthma treatments and shows great promise as a therapy for allergic rhinitis, in particular for those patients with concomitant allergic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, University Hospital, SE-901 85 Umeå, Sweden. thomas.sandstrom@lung.umu.se
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sandström
mesh_terms: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000069444:Omalizumab; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000069444:Omalizumab