Biologic injections are a treatment option for certain allergies, asthma, and other inflammatory conditions. These specialty medications target specific parts of the body’s immune response that contribute to symptoms. Biologic injections are given in our office on a schedule based on the medication and diagnosis. Our board-certified allergists at North Texas Allergy & Asthma Associates can help determine if biologic injections are right for you. Call or schedule an appointment online at any of our four locations.
What is Hives?
Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU; chronic hives without a known cause) who continue to have hives that are not controlled by H1 -antihistamine treatment. Until now, H1-antihistamines have been the only approved therapy for CIU, with about 50 percent of patients having an inadequate response.
What is Xolair (Omalizumab)?
An allergic person makes too much of a certain protein in the body, called IgE antibody. The overproduction of this protein may result in various allergic conditions such as allergic rhinitis (hayfever), allergic asthma and CIU. Omalizumab is a drug that binds to the allergic antibody (IgE) in the blood stream and neutralizes (blocks) its actions
Benefits of Omalizumab
Omalizumab has been shown to decrease the number of asthma attacks in patients with more moderate to severe asthma, and in some patients it allows a reduction in, and sometimes complete elimination of, other asthma medications.
How is it administered, how often is it given, and for how long?
For asthma, your Omalizumab dose will be chosen based on your body weight and the results of a blood test that measures your level of IgE. For CIU, your Omalizumab dose will be based on your doctor’s recommendation. You will receive 1-2 injections of Omalizumab in your upper arm every 2 to 4 weeks depending on the above factors. Unless your weight changes significantly, the dose and injection schedule should not change once your treatment has started. It may take several months before you begin to notice benefits from Omalizumab. Once benefits are observed, they should last for as long as you continue to receive your regular injections. If for some reason your injections are stopped, we would expect the effects to wear off within 6 months to a year.