Omalizumab, more commonly known by the trade name Xolair, is a monoclonal therapeutic antibody that is currently used to treat severe allergic reactions in diseases such as asthma and chronic idiopathic urticaria. The drug is currently produced at a manufacturing site in France through a partnership between Novartis and Genentech (Novartis). In order to produce this antibody, mice were injected with human IgE. The B cells of the mice were then harvested. The B cells were then fused with myeloma cells in order to produce an immortalized cell line. A single B cell line was then used to produce a large quantity of the monoclonal, therapeutic anti-IgE antibody. This antibody was then humanized by grafting the parts of the light chain that actively
…show more content…
It functions by preventing the IgE antibody from binding to its receptors on effector immune cells. The IgE antibody mediates many of the allergic respiratory immune responses in humans. The IgE antibody can be bound by a high affinity and a low affinity receptor in the CH3 domain of its heavy chains. The high affinity receptor is known as FcɛRI and it is primarily found on mast cells and basophils. The low affinity receptor is called FcɛRII and it is primarily found on B cells, macrophages, and even platelets. Omalizumab binds to the CH3 domain of the IgE antibody and prevents the effector cells from producing an inflammatory response (Pennington). Consequently, relieving the symptoms of respiratory allergies. The application of Omalizumab is restricted to patients 6 years and older. Moreover, in the case of asthma, Omalizumab is applicable to patients who do not respond to inhaled corticosteroids. For chronic idiopathic urticaria, the patients receiving Omalizumab are typically unresponsive to H1antihistamine treatment (DailyMed). The average cost of a 151 mg of the drug is $541. The dosage of the treatment is based on the body weight and serum IgE levels of the patient, which are determined before the first treatment. If a treatment is administered every two weeks, the cost of one year of treatment generally varies from $20,000 to $32,000
It functions by preventing the IgE antibody from binding to its receptors on effector immune cells. The IgE antibody mediates many of the allergic respiratory immune responses in humans. The IgE antibody can be bound by a high affinity and a low affinity receptor in the CH3 domain of its heavy chains. The high affinity receptor is known as FcɛRI and it is primarily found on mast cells and basophils. The low affinity receptor is called FcɛRII and it is primarily found on B cells, macrophages, and even platelets. Omalizumab binds to the CH3 domain of the IgE antibody and prevents the effector cells from producing an inflammatory response (Pennington). Consequently, relieving the symptoms of respiratory allergies. The application of Omalizumab is restricted to patients 6 years and older. Moreover, in the case of asthma, Omalizumab is applicable to patients who do not respond to inhaled corticosteroids. For chronic idiopathic urticaria, the patients receiving Omalizumab are typically unresponsive to H1antihistamine treatment (DailyMed). The average cost of a 151 mg of the drug is $541. The dosage of the treatment is based on the body weight and serum IgE levels of the patient, which are determined before the first treatment. If a treatment is administered every two weeks, the cost of one year of treatment generally varies from $20,000 to $32,000