What Is the Name of an Allergy Injection? SCIT Has No Brand
The clinical name for an allergy injection (in the immunotherapy sense) is subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) — an unbranded, custom-compounded preparation of FDA-licensed allergen extract. The branded injections commonly confused with allergy shots include Xolair (omalizumab, anti-IgE biologic), Kenalog-40 (depot corticosteroid, symptomatic only), and EpiPen (epinephrine, emergency rescue). These four categories share the syringe but not the immunology.
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The clinical name for an allergy injection is subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), also called allergen immunotherapy. SCIT has no brand name — it is custom-compounded from FDA-licensed allergen extracts. Biologics, depot steroids, and epinephrine devices are branded but are different drug classes.
The essentials
The clinical name for an allergy injection is subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), per the AAAAI/ACAAI/JCAAI Practice Parameter Third Update (Cox L, Nelson H, Lockey R et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;127(1 Suppl):S1-S55, DOI 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.09.034). The procedure has no single brand name because SCIT vials are custom-compounded per patient from FDA-licensed allergen extracts — the vial label shows the patient's name, the allergen source, the concentration, and the manufacturer.
The branded vs unbranded distinction is the most practically useful naming framework:
UNBRANDED (custom-compounded): SCIT itself. Active ingredient is an FDA-licensed allergen extract from sources including grass pollens, short ragweed, cat dander, house dust mites, or Hymenoptera venoms. Manufactured by Stallergenes Greer, ALK-Abelló, Jubilant HollisterStier, Nelco Laboratories, or Antigen Laboratories. Unit labels: BAU/mL (standardized grass/ragweed/cat), AU/mL (cat pelt, dust mites), µg of major allergen (ragweed Amb a 1, cat Fel d 1), PNU/mL or w/v (non-standardized).
BRANDED IMMUNOTHERAPY (sublingual, not injected): Grastek (timothy grass), Oralair (5-grass), Ragwitek (ragweed), Odactra (house dust mite) — FDA-approved SLIT tablets. Same tolerance-inducing mechanism as SCIT but delivered sublingually and sold as branded products.
BRANDED BIOLOGICS (injected, NOT immunotherapy): Xolair (omalizumab, anti-IgE, FDA 2003; food allergy indication February 16, 2024 based on OUtMATCH trial, N Engl J Med 2024). Dupixent (dupilumab, anti-IL-4Rα, FDA March 2017 for atopic dermatitis, October 2018 for asthma). Tezspire (tezepelumab, anti-TSLP, FDA December 17, 2021 for severe asthma ≥12).
BRANDED DEPOT STEROIDS (symptomatic, NOT immunotherapy): Kenalog-40 (triamcinolone acetonide, FDA February 1, 1965), Depo-Medrol (methylprednisolone acetate). Discouraged for routine allergic rhinitis by AAAAI/ACAAI.
BRANDED EPINEPHRINE (emergency rescue, NOT immunotherapy): EpiPen (FDA 1987), Auvi-Q (Kaléo, FDA 2012), neffy (epinephrine nasal spray, ARS Pharmaceuticals, FDA August 9, 2024).
Curex's at-home IgE blood test with allergist review confirms which allergen extracts belong on an immunotherapy prescription — the same custom-compounded approach used in SCIT, but matched to the patient's IgE profile.
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See if at-home shots are right for youFrequently asked questions
What is the name of the allergy injection?
The clinical name for an allergy injection (in the immunotherapy sense) is subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), per the AAAAI/ACAAI Practice Parameter Third Update (Cox L, Nelson H, Lockey R et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;127(1 Suppl):S1-S55). SCIT has no single brand name — each patient's vial is custom-compounded from FDA-licensed allergen extracts by an allergist. If a patient or referring clinician has written down a brand name — Xolair, Kenalog, EpiPen, Dupixent — they are referring to a different drug class, not allergen immunotherapy.
What is Xolair used for and is it an allergy injection?
Xolair (omalizumab) is a biologic monoclonal antibody injected subcutaneously for moderate-to-severe allergic asthma (FDA 2003), chronic spontaneous urticaria, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and IgE-mediated food allergy (FDA February 16, 2024, OUtMATCH trial, N Engl J Med 2024). It is an allergy-related injection but not allergen immunotherapy — Xolair binds free IgE to prevent it from attaching to mast cells, but it does not induce allergen-specific immune tolerance. SCIT (allergen immunotherapy) and Xolair are completely different drug classes that happen to be administered by subcutaneous injection.
What are the names of allergy injection brands I should know?
For allergen immunotherapy (SCIT): there are no brand names — SCIT is custom-compounded. Extract manufacturers include Stallergenes Greer, ALK-Abelló, Jubilant HollisterStier, Nelco Laboratories, and Antigen Laboratories. For SLIT tablets (sublingual, not injected but immunotherapy): Grastek, Oralair, Ragwitek, Odactra. For biologics (injected but not immunotherapy): Xolair (omalizumab), Dupixent (dupilumab), Tezspire (tezepelumab). For depot steroids (symptomatic injection): Kenalog-40, Depo-Medrol. For epinephrine (emergency rescue): EpiPen, Auvi-Q, neffy.
Is Dupixent an allergy injection?
Dupixent (dupilumab) is an anti-IL-4 receptor alpha biologic monoclonal antibody injected subcutaneously every 2 weeks (for atopic dermatitis) or every 2-4 weeks (for asthma). It treats type 2 (Th2) inflammatory conditions by blocking signaling from both IL-4 and IL-13. FDA approvals include atopic dermatitis (March 2017), allergic asthma (October 2018), CRSwNP, EoE, prurigo nodularis, and COPD with eosinophilic phenotype. Dupixent is not allergen immunotherapy — it does not train the immune system to tolerate specific allergens. Benefits return when treatment stops. It is an allergy-related injection, but a fundamentally different drug class from SCIT.
Can I look up my allergy injection by name?
SCIT (allergen immunotherapy) cannot be looked up by brand name because there is no brand — each vial is compounded specifically for the patient. However, patients receiving SCIT can look up their extract sources (e.g., Greer Standardized Cat Hair extract FDA License #308), the billing codes on their explanation of benefits (CPT 95115 for single injection, 95117 for two or more, 95165 for vial preparation per CMS Article A57472), and the clinical literature on their sensitizations. If a patient has a branded name from a pharmacy or infusion center — Xolair, Dupixent — they are receiving a biologic, not immunotherapy. If they have a prescription for sublingual tablets, the brand name (Grastek, Odactra, etc.) identifies both the product and the single-allergen target.
What is the difference between neffy and an allergy injection?
neffy is epinephrine nasal spray (ARS Pharmaceuticals), FDA-approved August 9, 2024 (adult 2 mg dose; pediatric 1 mg dose approved March 5, 2025). It is a rescue medication for anaphylaxis — it reverses life-threatening allergic reactions within minutes via adrenergic receptor activation. neffy is NOT allergen immunotherapy. It does not treat chronic allergic disease, does not induce tolerance, and is not a course of treatment — it is a single-dose emergency device. Allergy injections (SCIT) are a multi-year disease-modifying treatment. Patients who have a prescription for neffy or EpiPen should still carry their epinephrine device even if they are receiving SCIT, because immunotherapy does not eliminate the risk of anaphylaxis from incidental allergen exposures.
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This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about a medical condition. Content reviewed by board-certified allergists at Curex.