Alexander Zink
Technische Universitaet Muenchen
Germany
Title: Targeting IgE in atopic dermatitis - Immunoadsorption and omalizumab as novel treatment approach
Biography
Biography: Alexander Zink
Abstract
Patients severely affected by atopic dermatitis (AD) commonly have highly elevated serum IgE levels. Until today, the role of IgE in the pathogenesis of AD remains a highly controversial issue. To evaluate the role of IgE in AD we developed an anti-IgE-treatment approach by combining immunoadsorption (IA) and anti-IgE antibody omalizumab (OMZ) for maximum possible IgE serum level reduction in patients with severe, therapy-refractory AD and elevated IgE levels. First patients treated by IA and OMZ all showed an significant reduction of IgE-levels after IA and a further dropping of biological active IgE during treatment with omalizumab. A reverse trend was observed after stopping treatment during the follow-up period. Parallel, a clear improvement of AD was seen during the treatment period followed by an aggravation during observational follow-up. Combining IA and OMZ in atopic dermatitis thus seems suitable to effectively reduce elevated serum IgE levels and to improve clinical symptoms of severe refractory AE without other systemic treatments. However, further studies with larger patient numbers are needed to strengthen our conclusion based on the first findings of our novel and promising anti-IgE treatment approach in severe atopic dermatitis.