PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE ED - , TI - â–¼Omalizumab for severe asthma? AID - 10.1136/dtb.2006.441186 DP - 2006 Nov 01 TA - Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin PG - 86--88 VI - 44 IP - 11 4099 - http://dtb.bmj.com/content/44/11/86.short 4100 - http://dtb.bmj.com/content/44/11/86.full SO - Drug Ther Bull2006 Nov 01; 44 AB - Relevant BNF section: 3.4.2Up to 5% of patients with asthma have severe disease1,2 (i.e. around 250,000 people in the UK3). This means their asthma remains uncontrolled despite optimal treatment with high-dose inhaled corticosteroid plus additional therapy or a regular oral corticosteroid,4 and with no other explanations such as poor adherence to therapy and other diagnoses such as vocal cord dysfunction. â–¼Omalizumab (pronounced oh-ma-liz-oo-mab) (Xolair - Novartis) is a monoclonal antibody to IgE that is available in the UK as add-on therapy for people aged 12 years and over with severe persistent asthma that has an important allergic component. What benefits, if any, does omalizumab offer to such patients?