Is omalizumab a cure for food allergy?

You may have recently heard the FDA approved omalizumab for food allergy treatment. What does that mean? Well, it can be used to build tolerance to accidental exposures of food allergens but is not a “cure” for food allergies.

Omalizumab (Xolair) has actually been in use since 2003 for people with asthma and is not a new medication. It can also be used for other allergic illnesses. With food allergy treatment, this medication has been approved for use in people 1 year old and older. It is given as an injection into the fatty (subcutaneous) layer of the skin based on the person’s weight and is given every 2-4 weeks. It is only indicated for people with have an IgE-mediated food allergy (meaning IgE antibodies cause an allergic reaction to food). It is not for other type of food reactions like celiac or eosoohilic esophagitis.

It does not change the body enough to make it so that a person with an allergen will be able to eat it again, but it can make it so that someone can tolerate a small amount and not experience anaphylaxis. It can also open up the doors to eating foods with labels like, “may contain,” or “processed in a facility with...”

While, it is not a cure it is another step in the right direction for treating those with food allergy. A needle injection every few weeks may be difficult for children so it will be interesting to see how this treatment evolves as well as medication accessibility and insurance coverage. If you think this could be an option for your child, please contact your allergist to discuss treatment options.

Connect with me if you are interested in learning how to navigate your child’s food allergy.