Efficacy of Omalizumab as Add on Therapy for Minority Patients With Moderate to Severe Asthma

This study will be a randomized, placebo controlled, double blind study to measure the safety and efficacy of a new, injectable asthma medication, omalizumab, in a group of minority with moderate to severe asthma who are not adequately controlled with use of inhaled or oral steroids. Primary endpont will be change in asthma symptom utility index. Secondary endpoints will be changes in asthma Quality of life, asthma exacerbation rate, and lung function over the 12 week treatment period.