Omalizumab is the generic name for a drug used mainly in allergy-related asthma therapy, with the purpose of reducing allergic hypersensitivity. The drug, once administered subcutaneously, binds with immunoglobulin E (IgE), a substance commonly related to allergies when present in high amounts in the body. Omalizumab works by blocking the receptors of IgE. This prevents IgE from attaching to a group of histamine-producing cells known as mast cells and basophils, which are responsible for finally making the symptoms of the allergy apparent. For this reason, omalizumab is commonly referred to as an anti-IgE antibody.
Due to the lack of sufficient information on the long-term effectiveness and side effects of the drug, omalizumab treatment is not yet very common, and can be expensive. Additionally, as IgE is a natural defense against parasitic diseases, treatment is usually not recommended when living in environments where the presence of parasites is common.