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omalizumab Side Effects

Also known as: Xolair

Analysis of 79,748 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

79,748

Death-Related

2,390

3.0% of reports

Hospitalizations

15,129

19.0% of reports

Top Indication

Asthma

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

ASTHMA
11,601
URTICARIA
10,326
NO ADVERSE EVENT
10,204
OFF LABEL USE
9,929
DYSPNOEA
9,876
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
7,778
COUGH
6,767
PRURITUS
5,942
FATIGUE
5,824
MALAISE
5,429
WHEEZING
5,239
HEADACHE
5,206
PNEUMONIA
4,979
PAIN
4,103
ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION
3,984
NASOPHARYNGITIS
3,844
ARTHRALGIA
3,625
HYPERSENSITIVITY
3,398
WEIGHT DECREASED
3,379
DIZZINESS
3,309

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 52,705 (73%)
Male 18,979 (26%)
Unknown 179

Age Distribution

0-17 3,184 (8%)
18-44 12,576 (31%)
45-64 15,541 (38%)
65-74 6,481 (16%)
75+ 2,998 (7%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 2,390 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 1,455
ASTHMA 301
PNEUMONIA 179
DYSPNOEA 165
MALAISE 129
FATIGUE 111
OFF LABEL USE 105
ASTHENIA 101
COUGH 99
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 86
WHEEZING 85
HEART RATE INCREASED 81
WEIGHT DECREASED 81
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 75
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE 67
FALL 67
FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME DECREASED 63
LUNG DISORDER 61
HEADACHE 60
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 59

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 15,129 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
ASTHMA 5,346
DYSPNOEA 4,226
COUGH 3,043
PNEUMONIA 2,699
MALAISE 2,262
WHEEZING 2,208
FATIGUE 2,039
URTICARIA 1,872
HEADACHE 1,727
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 1,707
WEIGHT DECREASED 1,613
NASOPHARYNGITIS 1,605
PYREXIA 1,573
PRURITUS 1,338
PAIN 1,320
CHEST DISCOMFORT 1,313
INFLUENZA 1,307
PRODUCTIVE COUGH 1,285
BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASED 1,234
HYPERSENSITIVITY 1,216

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About omalizumab Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 79,748 voluntary reports linked to omalizumab and its brand equivalents (Xolair), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 2,390 (3.0%) listed death as an outcome and 15,129 (19.0%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Asthma.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 73% were female and 26% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 15,541 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is asthma with 11,601 submissions, followed by urticaria and no adverse event.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.