An article published in the March 17, 2011 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine details a study by researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine showing that omalizumab reduces the need for inhaled medications in inner-city children with asthma. Omalizumab is a monoclonal anti-IgE antibody.
The 60-week randomized, double-blind study involved 419 children, teens, and young adults with asthma, three quarters of whom had moderate-to-severe symptoms. Those taking omalizumab experienced a 25% reduction in days with asthma symptoms, and the proportion of patients experiencing exacerbations was reduced from almost half to less than one third despite the fact that the patients also reduced their use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and long-acting beta agonists (LABAs).
The research was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Novartis.
Read the abstract.
