Xolair FDA Alerts
The FDA Alerts below may be specifically about Xolair or relate to a group or class of drugs which include Xolair.
MedWatch Safety Alerts are distributed by the FDA and published by Drugs.com. Following is a list of possible medication recalls, market withdrawals, alerts and warnings.
Recent FDA Alerts for Xolair
Xolair (omalizumab): Drug Safety Communication - Slightly Elevated Risk of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Serious Adverse Events
ISSUE: An FDA review of safety studies suggests a slightly increased risk of problems involving the heart and blood vessels supplying the brain among patients being treated with the asthma drug Xolair (omalizumab) than in those who were not treated with Xolair. As a result, FDA has added information about these potential risks to the drug label.
The review found no difference in the rates of cancer between those patients being treated with Xolair and those who were not being treated with Xolair. However, due to limitations in the 5-year study, FDA cannot rule out a potential risk of cancer with Xolair, so this information was added to the Warnings and Precautions section of the drug label.
BACKGROUND: Xolair is an injectable medicine for patients 12 years of age and older with moderate to severe persistent allergic asthma whose asthma symptoms are not controlled by asthma medicines called inhaled corticosteroids.
RECOMMENDATION: Patients taking Xolair should continue to take the medication as prescribed and discuss any questions or concerns with their health care professionals.
Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
- Complete and submit the report Online: www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/index.cfm
- Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178
[09/26/2014 - Drug Safety Communication - FDA]
[07/16/2009 - Early Communication - FDA]
Xolair (omalizumab)
Indications and Usage: for treatment of adults and adolescents (12 years of age and above) with moderate to severe persistent asthma who have a positive skin test or in vitro reactivity to a perennial aeroallergen and whose symptoms are inadequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids. Xolair has been shown to decrease the incidence of asthma exacerbations in these patients. Safety and efficacy have not been established in other allergic conditions.[Posted 02/21/2007] FDA notified asthmatic patients and healthcare professionals of new reports of serious and life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) in patients after treatment with Xolair (omalizumab). Usually these reactions occur within two hours of receiving a Xolair subcutaneous injection. However, these new reports include patients who had delayed anaphylaxis—with onset two to 24 hours or even longer—after receiving Xolair treatment. Anaphylaxis may occur after any dose of Xolair (including the first dose), even if the patient had no allergic reaction to the first dose. Health care professionals who administer Xolair should be prepared to manage life-threatening anaphylaxis and should observe their Xolair-treated patients for at least two hours after Xolair is given. Patients under treatment with Xolair should be fully informed about the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, their chance of developing delayed anaphylaxis following Xolair treatment, and how to treat it when it occurs. FDA has requested Genentech add a boxed warning to the product label and to revise the Xolair label and provide a Medication Guide for patients to strengthen the existing warning for anaphylaxis.
[February 21, 2007 - Drug Information Page - FDA]
[February 21, 2007 - News Release - FDA]