The identification of biomarkers for response to omalizumab in adult asthma based on untargeted metabolomic analysis

There is a paucity of research on biomarkers that can accurately identify patients who are likely to derive benefit from anti-IgE therapy. The present study aimed to identify metabolites associated with the therapeutic response to omalizumab in adult with asthma. We performed global metabolomic profiling of plasma samples obtained from 44 patients with severe asthma prior to initiating omalizumab treatment, employing untargeted metabolomic analysis. Patients were divided into responders or non-responders based on their treatment outcomes. Between-group difference analysis and enrichment analysis were conducted to identify metabolites associated with treatment response. Compared with non-responders, responders exhibited significant up-regulated of 19 metabolites, and down-regulated of 3 metabolites in their plasma. These metabolites may serve as potential indicators for determining which severe asthma patients are likely to benefit from omalizumab. This study highlights the close relationship between the plasma metabolic profile of severe asthma patients and their response to omalizumab. It presents a promising approach for identifying patients who are most likely to benefit from this therapeutic intervention.