Does it your paper describe a new discovery or new methodology that's useful to others?

It describes a clinical trial that uses a new approach to the treatment of allergic diseases.

  Could you summarize the significance of your paper in layman's terms?

Allergic responses depend on IgE, a class of antibodies that sensitize the patient to offending substances. IgE is primary to the expression of disease in asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis, urticaria, food allergy, and anaphylaxis. A promising new therapy has emerged with the creation of recombinant humanized monoclonal anti-IgE antibody (rhuMAb- E25, now called omalizumab) that is capable of removing free IgE from circulation. We conducted a multicenter study that used this agent in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe allergic asthma who required inhaled and/or oral corticosteroids. Therapy with anti-IgE was safe. It resulted in a 99% mean fall in free IgE. Patients were able to reduce their requirement for both inhaled and oral corticosteroids while improving the control of their disease. The development of anti-IgE opens the door to new approaches for the treatment and control of allergic disease.

Henry Milgrom, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Professor of Clinical Science
National Jewish Medical and Research Center
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center