RxDecoder My Rx
‹ All drugs

omalizumab

Sold as Xolair. First FDA approval 06/20/2003: 23 years on the US market.

This grade answers one narrow question: how strong is the public evidence and safety record behind this drug, and how clean is its money trail and court record? It is not a verdict on whether the drug is right for you.

C

Score breakdown (67/100)

Safety ×35%
D
Evidence ×25%
B
Regulatory ×15%
B
Money & lawsuits ×15%
C
Options ×10%
F

Safety: 57

Evidence: 77

Regulatory history: 86

Money & lawsuits: 70

Options: 40

FDA boxed warning

WARNING: ANAPHYLAXIS Anaphylaxis presenting as bronchospasm, hypotension, syncope, urticaria, and/or angioedema of the throat or tongue, has been reported to occur after administration of XOLAIR. Anaphylaxis has occurred as early as after the first dose of XOLAIR, but also has occurred beyond 1 year after beginning regularly administered treatment. Because of the risk of anaphylaxis, initiate XOLAIR therapy in a healthcare setting and closely observe patients for an appropriate period of time after XOLAIR administration. Health care providers administering XOLAIR should be prepared to manage anaphylaxis which can be life-threatening. Inform patients of the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and instruct them to seek immediate medical care should symptoms occur. Selection of patients for self-administration of XOLAIR should be based on criteria to mitigate risk from anaphylaxis [see Dosage and Administration (2.6) , Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Adverse Reactions (6.1 , 6.2) ] . WARNING: ANAPHYLAXIS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. Anaphylaxis, presenting as bronchospasm, hypotension, syncope, urticaria, and/or angioedema of the throat or tongue, has ...

Independent reviews and post-approval warnings

FDA Drug Safety Communications

Warnings the FDA chose to announce publicly after approval, as opposed to quiet label edits. Class-wide items name the drug's class, not this drug specifically.

What the FDA label says

Approved uses

is an anti-IgE antibody indicated for: Moderate to severe persistent asthma in adults and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older with a positive skin test or in vitro reactivity to a perennial aeroallergen and symptoms that are inadequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids ( 1.1 ) Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in adult patients 18 years of age and older with inadequate response to nasal corticosteroids, as add-on maintenance treatment ( 1.2 ) IgE-mediated food allergy in adult and pediatric patients aged 1 year and older for the reduction of allergic reactions (Type I), including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to one or more foods. To be used in conjunction with food allergen avoidance ( 1.3 ) Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older who remain symptomatic despite H1 antihistamine treatment ( 1.4 ) Limitations of Use : Not indicated for acute bronchospasm or status asthmaticus. ( 1.1 , 5.3 ) Not indicated for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis ( 1.3 ) Not indicated for other forms of urticaria. ( 1.4 ) 1.1 Asthma XOLAIR is indicated for adults and p...

Contraindications

is contraindicated in patients with severe hypersensitivity reaction to XOLAIR or any ingredient of XOLAIR [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Severe hypersensitivity reaction to XOLAIR or any ingredient of XOLAIR ( 4 , 5.1 )

Warnings and precautions

Anaphylaxis: Initiate XOLAIR therapy in a healthcare setting prepared to manage anaphylaxis which can be life-threatening and observe patients for an appropriate period of time after administration. ( 5.1 ) Malignancy: Malignancies have been observed in clinical studies. ( 5.2 ) Acute Asthma Symptoms: Do not use for the treatment of acute bronchospasm or status asthmaticus. ( 5.3 ) Corticosteroid Reduction: Do not abruptly discontinue corticosteroids upon initiation of XOLAIR therapy. ( 5.4 ) Eosinophilic Conditions: Be alert to eosinophilia, vasculitic rash, worsening pulmonary symptoms, cardiac complications, and/or neuropathy, especially upon reduction of oral corticosteroids. ( 5.5 ) Fever, Arthralgia, and Rash: Stop XOLAIR if patients develop signs and symptoms similar to serum sickness. ( 5.6 ) Potential Medication Error Related to Emergency Treatment of Anaphylaxis: XOLAIR should not be used for emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. ( 5.9 ) 5.1 Anaphylaxis Anaphylaxis has been reported to occur after administration of XOLAIR in premarketing clinical trials and in postmarketing spontaneous reports [see Boxed Warning and Adverse Reactions (6.2) ] . ...

Adverse reactions (label)

The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Anaphylaxis [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Malignancies [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Asthma : The most common adverse reactions (≥ 1% of patients) in clinical studies with adult and adolescent patients ≥12 years of age were arthralgia, pain (general), leg pain, fatigue, dizziness, fracture, arm pain, pruritus, dermatitis, and earache. In clinical studies with pediatric patients 6 to <12 years of age, the most common adverse reactions (≥3% of patients) were nasopharyngitis, headache, pyrexia, upper abdominal pain, pharyngitis streptococcal, otitis media, viral gastroenteritis, arthropod bites, and epistaxis. ( 6.1 ) Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps : The most common adverse reactions (≥ 3% of patients) in clinical studies with adult patients included the following: headache, injection site reaction, arthralgia, upper abdominal pain, and dizziness. ( 6.1 ) IgE-Mediated Food Allergy : The most common adverse reactions (≥3% of patients) were injection site reactions and pyrexia. ( 6.1 ) Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria : The most common adverse reaction...

Recent major label changes

Dosage and Administration ( 2.5 , 2.7 ) 8/2026

Source: FDA SPL label for XOLAIR (Genentech, Inc.), effective 20260813. Full label on DailyMed.

Side-effect reports sent to the FDA

These are counts of reports people filed, not rates of harm. Anyone can file one, and nobody checks whether the drug was the cause. Millions of doses are taken for every report sent, so the useful part is how this drug compares with the average across all drugs.

75,660reports that mention this drug
75,642of those blame this drug, not another one the person was taking
49%of reports describe a serious outcome, such as a hospital stay (average for all drugs: 57%)
2.5%of reports include a death, from any cause (average for all drugs: 9.1%)

Problems reported most often

Urticaria · 11,030No Adverse Event · 10,861Off Label Use · 10,668Asthma · 10,615Dyspnoea · 9,390Drug Ineffective · 8,007Cough · 6,625Pruritus · 6,049Fatigue · 5,710Malaise · 5,384Wheezing · 5,117Headache · 4,999Pneumonia · 4,995Pain · 4,273Anaphylactic Reaction · 3,767

Reports per year

20192020202120222023202420252026
5,4635,4795,3025,3115,71813,0589,8434,830

Source: the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports are voluntary and unverified. Drugs that are prescribed a lot, in the news, or in lawsuits attract more reports, so the percentages are compared with the whole database to correct for that partly, not fully.

Recalls and regulatory record

3recall actions on file
0 / 0brand / generic applications
0label changes since 2021
NoREMS program
DateClassFirmReason
07/2025Class IICardinal Health Inc.CGMP Deviations - Product was exposed to temperatures outside the product's labeled storage requirements.
07/2025Class IICardinal Health Inc.CGMP Deviations - Product was exposed to temperatures outside the product's labeled storage requirements.
06/2021Class IIGenentech IncFailed Stability Specifications: Out of Specification results of Polysorbate 20 (PS20) content were detected at the 12 month testing time point.

Class I = reasonable probability of serious harm. Class II = temporary or reversible harm. Class III = unlikely to harm. Most generic recalls are manufacturing or labeling defects for one lot, not a verdict on the molecule.

Evidence base

168randomized trials (PubMed)
85systematic reviews
259registered trials
50%of completed trials posted results
8%terminated or withdrawn
59%industry-funded

Independent Cochrane reviews

Counts measure how much evidence exists and how transparent it is, not how big the benefit is. For that, ask your prescriber: if 100 people like me took this, how many would get better because of it, and how many would be harmed? (Doctors call these the "number needed to treat" and "number needed to harm.") It differs by condition and is the number drug ads leave out. Sources: PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Money and lawsuits

In 2024, drug companies reported $2,238,193 in payments to US physicians and hospitals tied to this drug across 22,269 transactions (Xolair $2,238,193).

No pending federal MDL names this drug or its brands.

Not named in any federal pharmaceutical settlement of $100M or more on record.

Sources: CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act); Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation pending docket list; DOJ settlements as tabulated on Wikipedia with links to the primary record. State-court and individual suits are not included.

Who takes it and what it costs

11,011Medicare Part D patients (2024)
95,356prescriptions filled
$3,284average cost per fill
$313Mtotal Medicare spend

Same-class alternatives

No same-class alternatives found in RxClass.

Questions to ask your prescriber

  1. In 2014 the FDA issued a safety communication about this drug (FDA approves label changes for asthma drug Xolair (omalizumab), including describing slightly higher risk of h). Does that risk apply to me?
  2. This drug carries a boxed warning. Which specific risk does it cover, and does it apply to me?
  3. The most-reported problems in FDA's adverse event data are urticaria, no adverse event, asthma. How would we recognize and handle those?
  4. Off-label use is among the most-reported items for this drug. Is my use on-label, and if not, what evidence supports it?
  5. There is no generic. Is there an older generic in the same class that works as well for my situation?
  6. The manufacturer pays physicians heavily to promote this drug. Have you received anything from them?
  7. What result are we expecting, by when, and what is the plan if it does not happen?
  8. If 100 people like me took this drug, how many would actually get better because of it, and how many would be harmed by it? (Doctors call these the number needed to treat and the number needed to harm.)