In a 10-year study, the incidence of any adverse effect was less than two-tenths of 1 percent, and the great majority of events were mild. The risk for a fatal response is estimated to be 1 per 63 million injections. (As a comparison, the risk for a fatal reaction to penicillin is much higher, 1 per 7.5 million injections.)
Investigative Immunotherapy Approaches
Vaccines. Of particular interest is the development of immunotherapeutic vaccines that use more specific targets to produce an insensitivity to allergens. One such vaccine uses a small protein from the allergen, which is injected into the patient. Other vaccines under investigation are those that use the allergen's genetic material (its DNA) to promote tolerance to the allergen.
Monoclonal Antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) are genetically-developed antibodies that are designed to target and attack very specific factors. A MAb known as omalizumab (Xolair) prevents the antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE) from triggering the inflammatory events that lead to allergies. Studies in recent years suggest that omalizumab is very effective in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life for patients with non-seasonal allergic rhinitis. A 2006 study suggested that treatment with omalizumab before and during ragweed allergy shots may help reduce immunotherapy side effects. The drug is currently approved for asthma.
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