Xolair vs Dupixent
Two biologics for severe asthma and allergic disease, chosen on the basis of which inflammatory pathway is driving a given patient.
At a glance
Key differences
- Different classes. Xolair is an anti-IgE antibody; Dupixent is an IL-4/13 inhibitor. They act on different targets in the body.
- How they are taken. Both are given by the subcutaneous route.
- Time on the market. Xolair was first approved by the FDA in 2003, Dupixent in 2017. That gives Xolair roughly 14 more years of real-world use and long-term safety data.
- Who markets them. Xolair is marketed by Genentech (Roche); Dupixent by Regeneron.
What each one treats
XOLAIR is an anti-IgE antibody indicated for: Moderate to severe persistent asthma in adults and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older with a positive skin test or in vitro reactivity to a perennial aeroallergen and symptoms that are inadequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids ( 1.1 ) Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in adult patients 18 years of age and older with inadequate response to nasal corticosteroids, as add-on maintenance treatment ( 1.2 ) IgE-mediated food allergy in adult and pediatric patients aged 1 year and older for the reduction of allergic reactions (Type I), including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to one or more foods. To be used in conjunction with food allergen avoidance ( 1.3 ) Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older who remain symptomatic despite H1 antihistamine…
DUPIXENT is an interleukin-4 receptor alpha antagonist indicated: Atopic Dermatitis for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 6 months and older with moderate-to-severe AD whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable. DUPIXENT can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. ( 1.1 ) Asthma as an add-on maintenance treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 6 years and older with moderate-to-severe asthma characterized by an eosinophilic phenotype or with oral corticosteroid dependent asthma. ( 1.2 ) Limitations of Use: Not for the relief of acute bronchospasm or status asthmaticus. ( 1.2 ) Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps as an add-on maintenance treatment in adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CR…
How each one works
12.1 Mechanism of Action Asthma, Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps, and IgE-Mediated Food Allergy Omalizumab inhibits the binding of IgE to the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) on the surface of mast cells, basophils, and dendritic cells, resulting in FcεRI down-regulation on these cells. In allergic asthmatics, treatment with omalizumab inhibits IgE-mediated inflammation, as evidenced by reduced blood and tissue eosinophils and reduced inflammatory mediators, including IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Omalizumab binds to IgE and lowers free IgE levels. Subsequently, IgE receptors (FcεRI) on cells down-regulate. The mechanism by which these effects of omalizumab…
12.1 Mechanism of Action Dupilumab is a human monoclonal IgG4 antibody that inhibits interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) signaling by specifically binding to the IL-4Rα subunit shared by the IL-4 and IL-13 receptor complexes. Dupilumab inhibits IL-4 signaling via the Type I receptor and both IL-4 and IL-13 signaling through the Type II receptor. Inflammation driven by IL-4 and IL-13 is an important component in the pathogenesis of asthma, AD, CRSwNP, EoE, PN, COPD, CSU, BP, and AFRS. Multiple cell types that express IL-4Rα (e.g., mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, epithelial cells, goblet cells) and inflammatory mediators (e.g., histamine, eicosanoids,…
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Which medicine is right for a given person depends on their diagnosis, other conditions, other medicines, kidney and liver function, pregnancy, and cost or reimbursement — none of which this page knows. Two drugs in the same class are not automatically interchangeable. Never start, stop or switch a prescription medicine on the basis of a web page; that decision belongs to you and your clinician or pharmacist.
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Plain-English summaries and drug-class explainers are written and reviewed by Sreepriya Prasannan (MSc Digital Transformation of Life Sciences (Innopharma Education / Griffith College); MSc & BSc Botany). Data is retrieved automatically from the sources above and cross-checked with AI-assisted verification (Anthropic's Claude) — brand and generic names are matched against the exact FDA product record so that a combination product or a different formulation cannot be mistaken for the drug on this page. An editor reviews the result before publication. We describe this in full in our editorial standards and corrections policy. The FDA data on this page was last retrieved on 8 Oct 2026. How every register is built: methodology · fixes we have made: corrections log.