Omalizumab to treat IgE-mediated food allergies

The current treatment of IgE-mediated food allergy consists of strict avoidance of the allergen and prescribing emergency medication consisting of an antihistamine, whether or not combined with an adrenaline auto-injector for use in case of accidental ingestion. There is no curative treatment option, though such an option will probably become available in the future, in the form of oral immunotherapy. Recent studies have examined the possible role of omalizumab in the treatment of IgE-mediated food allergies, whether as a monotherapy or in combination with oral immunotherapy. Both options reduced the sensitivity to allergens in the omalizumab group compared to the placebo group. It is as yet unclear whether this increased tolerance persists in the longer term.