Efficacy and tolerability of anti‐immunoglobulin E therapy with omalizumab in patients with poorly controlled (moderate‐to‐severe) allergic asthma

Background: Patients with poorly controlled asthma have greater morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of omalizumab in patients with poorly controlled, moderate‐to‐severe allergic asthma. Methods: This was a randomized, open‐label, multicentre, parallel‐group study. A total of 312 patients (12–73 years) receiving ≥400 μg/day (adolescent) or ≥800 μg/day (adult) inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate, or equivalent were included. Patients received best standard care (BSC) with or without omalizumab [at least 0.016 mg/kg/IgE (IU/ml) every 4 weeks] for 12 months. Results: The annualized mean number of asthma deterioration‐related incidents was reduced from 9.76 with BSC alone (n = 106) to 4.92 per patient‐year with omalizumab (n = 206) (P