Omalizumab Use and Asthma-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Severe Persistent Allergic Asthma

Inclusion criteria

• 12 to 75 years-old during screening visit.
• Body weight > 20 kg and < 150 kg.
• Daily or persistent asthma symptoms.
• Night symptoms at least once a week.
• Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) > 40% and < 80% of predicted normal value and continuing asthma symptoms.
• FEV1 increased > 12% from baseline within 30 minutes of inhaled (up to 400 mcg) or nebulized (up to 5 mg) salbutamol.
• Subject taking more than 500 mcg/day of fluticasone or equivalent associated to a long-acting β2-agonist.
• Inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting beta-2 adrenergic agonist (LABA) doses that remained fixed during the last 12 weeks prior to screening.
• Medical history of at least two episodes of asthma exacerbation treated with systemic corticoid or at least one severe asthma exacerbation treated with systemic corticoid and hospitalization or emergency room visit in the last 12 months prior to screening.
• Positive skin prick test (diameter of wheal > 3mm) to at least one perennial aeroallergen (dust mite, cat/dog dander, cockroaches), to which the subject was likely to be exposed during the study.
• Subject capable to read and understand asthma related quality of life questionnaire (Juniper's questionnaire).

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant, nursing female subjects.
• Female subjects without current acceptable contraceptive method.
• Previous history of allergy or hypersensitivity to omalizumab.
• Subjects with prior treatment with omalizumab.
• Subjects with medical history of psychiatric disorder.
• Subject had been treated with systemic corticosteroid for any reason other than asthma.
• Subject took β2 antagonist medication in the last 3 months prior to screening visit.
• Subject took protocol prohibited medication prior to screening.
• Medical history of food or drug related severe anaphylactoid reactions.
• Medical history of antibiotics allergy. Patients were included if the antibiotics to which they were allergic to were to be avoided for the entire duration of the study.
• Asthma related to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
• Treatment of exacerbation in the 4 weeks prior to randomization.
• Other active lung diseases.
• Medical history of others uncontrolled diseases 3 months prior randomization (eg, infections, coronary heart diseases and metabolic diseases).
• Any history of cancer.
• Abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG), laboratory exams (clinically significant abnormalities), and chest X-ray (CXR).
• Evidence or history of drug or alcohol abuse.
• Airway infection (eg, pneumonia, acute sinusitis) 4 weeks prior to screening visit.
• Smokers or smoking history of > 10 pack-years.
• Subject that had been treated with investigational drugs over the past 30 days or during the course of the trial.
• Subject had elevated IgE levels for reasons other than allergy.

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria applied to the study.