Predicting the Clinical Response to Omalizumab With Anti-Immunoglobulin E (IgE) Ab Response or Syk Expression in Basophils

From a therapeutic perspective, the study will determine whether changes in the peripheral blood basophil response to crosslinking anti-IgE Ab during treatment with omalizumab predicts the clinical efficacy of treatment with the drug. Secondary outcomes measures would focus on whether the starting level of anti-IgE-mediated histamine release, or the changes syk expression or its starting level would be sufficient to predict the clinical outcome. The study is a single-site trial to evaluate the utility of baseline basophil measures to predict the efficacy of subcutaneously administered omalizumab as an add-on therapy for the treatment of adult patients 18-75 years old who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe asthma according to current approved guidelines. Patients will be treated with omalizumab according to the standard FDA approved dosing table for a period of 16 weeks.