Omalizumab in Adult and Adolescent Patients With Severe Persistent Allergic Asthma

Inclusion Criteria: Patients who met the following criteria were included: * Males or females of any race, who were 12-75 years of age * A body weight ≥ 20 kg and ≤ 150 kg and with a total serum IgE level ≥ 30 to ≤ 700 IU/ml * A diagnosis of allergic asthma ≥ 1 year duration according to American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria and at screening a history consistent with GINA (2204) step 3 or 4 clinical features * A positive prick skin test (diameter of wheal \>= 3 mm) to at least one perennial allergen documented within the past 2 years or taken at visit 1 * Increase in FEV1 ≥12% over baseline value within 30 minutes of taking 2 to 4 puffs (2-4x100µg) salbutamol (albuterol) or nebulized salbutamol up to 5mg * An FEV1 ≥ 40 and ≤ 80% of the predicted normal value for the patient at randomization * Receiving moderate to high dose inhaled corticosteroid ≥ 800 µg BDP or equivalent and a regular inhaled long acting B-2 agonists for at least 3 months prior to screening and \> 1000 µg (BDP) and a LABA for at least 4 weeks during the run-in and at randomization * Patients who have suffered multiple (i.e. at least two) independent documented severe asthma exacerbations while receiving high doses of ICS (≥ 800 µg BDP or equivalent) plus regular inhaled LABA * Evidence of poor asthma control at screening (based on patient history) and for at least 4 weeks immediately prior to randomisation Exclusion Criteria: Patients who met the following criteria were excluded: * Had received syst…