Anti-IgE antibody treatments are currently prescribed only for asthma conditions that are exacerbated by allergies. Allergic asthma is a condition in which a reaction to an allergen causes the airways to become blocked or narrowed, resulting in shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. By preventing allergic reactions from taking place, anti-IgE antibody treatments can be very effective at reducing the number of asthma attacks experienced by patients with allergic asthma.

A physician may consider anti-IgE antibody treatments for patients who have allergic asthma that is:

• Moderate to severe in intensity
  
  
• Triggered year-round by airborne allergens (e.g., mold, pollen, animal dander, dust mites)
  
  
• Not controllable with inhaled corticosteroids alone

In early testing, anti-IgE antibody treatments seem to be effective at preventing many types of allergic reactions from taking place, including hay fever (allergi c rhinitis) and food allergies.

A recent study also suggests that anti-IgE antibodies may be useful in treating severe persistent dermatitis (an inflammation of the skin) in those who fail to improve with standard treatments (e.g., corticosteroids, antibiotics, antihistamines) alone.

Though the only type of anti-IgE antibody treatment currently available in the United States is geared towards asthma sufferers, the drug is being studied as a possible treatment for various allergic conditions, including peanut allergies.