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Omalizumab review
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Asthma therapy usually ranges from bronchial dilators to antihistamine treatments. Omalizumab falls in between those two extremes by being a monoclonal antibody drug used to reduce a person's hypersensitivity to allergies. It's only drawbacks is its budget-crippling cost of $10,000 to $30,000 annually and the fact that it can cause anaphylaxis a fatal autoimmune reaction in one or two people per a thousand who uses this medication. It is also known by the trade name of Xolair.
Omalizumab is best administered on adolescents and adults twelve and above who have moderate to persistent asthma caused by severe allergic reactions that cannot be satisfactorily managed by steroid inhalers. Allergies are more often than not the primary cause of asthma, especially for asthmatics who have hypersensitive allergies. The drug decreases the frequency of attacks by directly stopping the allergic reactions caused by any number of allergens.
The medicine works by blocking the receptors on basophil and mast cell surfaces to which antibodies attach themselves to, which then prevents said antibodies from inducing the release of certain chemicals that signal the start of inflammation and an allergic reaction in the first place.
Omalizumab is an injection applied directly under the skin. The recommended daily dose of the drug ranges from one hundred fifty to three hundred seventy-five milligrams every two to four weeks (half a month and a whole month).
The frequency of administration and overall dosage depends on the levels of IgE (a type of antibody) and body weight of the individual patient. Doses above one hundred fifty milligrams should be separated and given at different parts of the body so that no more than one hundred fifty milligrams is present at each injection site.
Common side effects of omalizumab include injection-site reactions of bruising/itching/swelling/redness/pain, upper respiratory tract infections, viral infections, and headaches. As noted above, the drug can also lead to the critical and fatal allergic reaction of anaphylaxis.
Doctors are advised to observe patients carefully for any of these side effects for at least two hours after each injection; then again, these reactions can occur for up to twenty-four hours after each dose or even longer. You can also have an increased risk of getting cancer by undergoing omalizumab treatment.
Your medical history must first be revealed to your doctor or pharmacist before actual omalizumab prescription or treatment, especially if you have any allergies. Even though it's essentially an anti-allergy agent, certain allergies can make taking this drug fatal instead of helpful.
You also need to tell your pharmacist or healthcare provider each and every last prescription or nonprescription medication you've recently used or are using, especially if they're drugs for asthma treatment. Moreover, you should not begin or halt your treatment without prior pharmaceutical or medical permission.
What's more, this drug should only be used by expecting mothers when clearly needed; they should discuss with their doctor the pros and cons of taking omalizumab while pregnant. Breastfeeding mothers should also consult with their physician before breastfeeding their baby while undergoing therapy.
• Molecular formula of omalizumab is C6450H9916N1714O2023S38
• Chemical IUPAC Name is Humanized anti-IgE antibody
• Molecular weight is 145058.2 g/mol
Brand name(s): Xolair
Review published on: 25 September 2009
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