For 7 out of 10 people with chronic hives, doctors cannot find a cause. When this happens, the diagnosis is CSU.
CSU stands for Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria. Chronic means lasting 6 weeks or more. Spontaneous means that the cause is unknown. Urticaria is the medical name for hives.
XOLAIR® (omalizumab) for subcutaneous use is an injectable prescription medicine used to treat chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU, previously referred to as chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), chronic hives without a known cause) in people 12 years of age and older who continue to have hives that are not controlled with H1 antihistamine treatment. It is not known if XOLAIR is safe and effective in people with CSU under 12 years of age.
Learn how XOLAIR may help
XOLAIR is given by an injection just under the skin (subcutaneous injection) every 4 weeks.
In two clinical studies XOLAIR helped reduce the severity of itch and number of hives in study participants who continued to have symptoms that were not controlled by antihistamines. Your results may vary. View the full XOLAIR CSU clinical study results to learn more.
You should not decrease or stop taking any of your other hive medicine unless your specialist tells you to. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements.
Severe allergic reaction. A severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis can happen when you receive XOLAIR. The reaction can occur after the first dose, or after many doses. It may also occur right after a XOLAIR injection or days later. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition and can lead to death. Go to the nearest emergency room right away if you have any of these symptoms of an allergic reaction:
Your healthcare provider will monitor you closely for symptoms of an allergic reaction while you are receiving XOLAIR and for a period of time after treatment is initiated. Your healthcare provider should talk to you about getting medical treatment if you have symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Do not receive and use XOLAIR if you are allergic to omalizumab or any of the ingredients in XOLAIR.
Click here for more Important Safety Information regarding XOLAIR.
The most common side effects of XOLAIR:
These are not all the possible side effects of XOLAIR. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. You may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555 or Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation at (888) 669-6682.
Please see full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide for additional Important Safety Information.
After you've established treatment in a doctor's office or infusion center, your doctor will determine if you or your caregiver may inject XOLAIR. If your doctor decides that you or a caregiver may be able to give your own XOLAIR prefilled syringe injections, you should receive training on the right way to prepare and inject XOLAIR. Do not try to inject your XOLAIR prefilled syringe until you have been shown the right way to give XOLAIR injections by your doctor. For children 12 years of age and older, XOLAIR prefilled syringe may be self-injected under adult supervision. XOLAIR prefilled syringes come boxed and individually sealed. Learn more about self-injection with the XOLAIR prefilled syringe.
If you need help paying for XOLAIR, there may be options to help.
Read more about XOLAIR financial assistance options
*In order to be eligible for the XOLAIR Co-pay Program, the patient must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria and agree to the rules set forth in the terms and conditions.
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