Omalizumab and Covid-19 vaccine, what should I know?
If you are being treated with omalizumab, you can be vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccination at any time, but the ACAAI (American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) recommends that the COVID-19 vaccine and omalizumab not be given on the same day since, if a reaction or a side effect occurs, it may be challenging to work out which injection was to blame. The ACAAI suggests separating the COVID-19 vaccination and omalizumab by at least 24 hours. There is no reason to stop omalizumab until you complete the course of the COVID-19 vaccinations.
Some countries (such as Germany) recommend a spacing of at least a week between the COVID-19 vaccination and an omalizumab injection; however, this is not the position of the ACAAI.
Because omalizumab works on the allergic arm of the immune system, it does not appear to compromise the immune system like traditional immunosuppressants, such as prednisone and cyclosporine. Omalizumab is not associated with an increased risk of infection nor increases the risk for COVID-19. If you are taking omalizumab for asthma, nasal polyps, or urticaria you are not at increased risk for allergic reactions after the COVID-19 vaccination. There is no data to suggest that biologics have any effect (good or bad) on a person’s response to a COVID-19 vaccine including a booster injection. Only patients on daily oral corticosteroids of 20mg or more are considered immunocompromised by the CDC.
References
- Pfaar, O., Klimek, L., Hamelmann, E., Kleine-Tebbe, J., Taube, C., Wagenmann, M., Werfel, T., Brehler, R., Novak, N., Mülleneisen, N., Becker, S., & Worm, M. (2021). COVID-19 vaccination of patients with allergies and type-2 inflammation with concurrent antibody therapy (biologicals) - A Position Paper of the German Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI) and the German Society for Applied Allergology (AeDA). Allergologie select, 5, 140–147. https://doi.org/10.5414/ALX02241E
- Frequently Asked Patient Questions About the COVID-19 Vaccine. American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. https://acaai.org/news/allergy/
Read next
Is Xolair an immunosuppressant?
Xolair does act on the body’s immune system to prevent an allergic response, but because it only acts on the allergic arm of the immune system, it does not appear to compromise the immune system as other immunosuppressants do. Xolair is not like traditional immunosuppressants, such as prednisone or cyclosporine because it does not increase the risk of infection nor the risk of COVID-19. Continue reading
How long before Xolair starts working?
Free serum IgE levels are decreased within an hour of Xolair administration. However it may take several months for the full effects of Xolair to be seen, although some symptom improvement may be noted after a few weeks. Significant improvements were noted after 4 months in those with allergic asthma, after 3 months in those with chronic urticaria, and after 16 to 20 weeks in those with Ig-E-mediated food allergies. Continue reading
How does Xolair work?
Xolair works by preventing IgE from binding to IgE receptors on mast cells and basophils. This prevents mast cells and basophils from releasing histamine and heparin. Histamine narrows smooth muscle in the airways making it harder to breathe and also causes tissue swelling, itchy skin, hives, and other allergic-type symptoms. Heparin makes it harder for blood to clot. Continue reading
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Drug information
- Omalizumab Information for Consumers
- Omalizumab prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side Effects of Omalizumab (detailed)
- Omalizumab user reviews (264)
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