Context

Asthma is a common chronic disease that affects over 300 million people worldwide. Between 5% and 10% of this population has severe asthma, which often remains uncontrolled despite maximal conventional treatment. Omalizumab is a recombinant humanised monoclonal antibody that binds circulating IgE antibody and decreases allergic, IgE-mediated airway inflammation.1 In the USA and many other countries, omalizumab is approved for the treatment of adults and adolescents aged 12 years and above with moderate-to-severe persistent allergic asthma, whose symptoms are poorly controlled with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). European approval stipulates that patients should have a history of frequent, severe exacerbations despite receiving ICS in high doses combined with an inhaled long-acting β₂ agonist bronchodilator (LABA). The European license also includes children aged …