PITTSBURGH -- Fifteen-million Americans suffer from asthma and it is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases in the U.S.

ASTHMA Survey: Do You Have Asthma?

A new drug just approved by the FDA may dramatically change the treatment of asthma.

The drug is called Xolair and it's just now becoming available to patients.

It's a bioengineered drug that claims to get to the root of the disease rather than just the symptoms.

Asthma and allergic reactions begin when a type of antibody called IGE attaches to special immune cells.

This triggers the cells to release chemicals, like histamine, which cause asthma and allergies.

Xolair is a bioengineered antibody that attaches to IGE before IGE can attach to immune cells, preventing the attack from happening in the first place.

LaRon Meggett, 21, has suffered from severe asthma all his life.

"I was always depressed because I couldn't play with the other kids and do what they did," Meggett said.

Meggett takes 10 medications to control his asthma.

Despite that, the disease still severely restricts his activities and often lands him in the emergency room.

"Asthma is a severe chronic dangerous condition," Allegheny General Hospital allergist Dr. David Skoner said.

Skoner sees many patients like Meggett.

He said Xolair will really improve their lives.

"It's very frightening when you can't catch your breath or breathe. If you have a drug that can prevent you from getting there in the first place, it's going to be a good thing," Skoner said.

Unfortunately, many patients who could benefit from Xolair might not be able to afford it.

A year's supply is expected to cost about $10,000 and it's not clear yet how many insurance companies will pay for the drug.

But despite the high cost, it could actually save money.

"If it can cut down on hospitalizations and emergency visits, which are very costly outcomes, it could be a good trade off," Skoner said.

And for people like Meggett, the drug could give them a normal life.

"What it would mean for me … I could perform my job better because my health keeps me down. Sometimes I have to stay in the hospital for 3 to 4 days when I'm scheduled for work," Meggett said.

Asthma is responsible for about 500,000 hospitalizations and 2 million emergency room visits a year.