Type 2 inflammation and biological therapies in asthma: Targeted medicine taking flight

Abstract

The field of asthma has undergone a dramatic change in recent years. Advances in our understanding of type 2 airway inflammation have driven the discovery of monoclonal antibodies targeting specific aspects of the immune pathway. In landmark trials, these drugs have shown efficacy in reducing asthma attacks and exposure to oral corticosteroids, important causes of morbidity in people with asthma. Our review explores the key features of type 2 inflammation in asthma and summarizes the clinical trial evidence of the novel monoclonal antibody treatments and future avenues for treatment.

Revealing the gap: fractional exhaled nitric oxide and clinical responsiveness to biological therapy in severe asthma – a retrospective study

“…Patients with severe asthma (SA) often require treatment with a biological drug directed at pivotal immune regulators, including interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, immunoglobulin E (IgE) and, more recently, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) [1]. In this regard, biomarkers of Type 2 (T2) high inflammation, such as fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) have been progressively and successfully utilized for the endotyping of SA patients [2], in order to improve their therapeutical management.…”

Differential drug response in pulmonary arterial hypertension: The potential for precision medicine

“…Other fields have advanced precision medicine through identification of endophenotypes defined by distinct biologic mechanisms that are identifiable with biomarkers. In asthma, various asthma phenotypes that are characterized by specific biomarkers have been identified 79,80 . Biological drugs can be used to treat severe persistent asthma according to Type 2 inflammation biomarker profiles based on the role of Type 2 (Th2) lymphocytes.…”

“…In asthma, various asthma phenotypes that are characterized by specific biomarkers have been identified. 79 , 80 Biological drugs can be used to treat severe persistent asthma according to Type 2 inflammation biomarker profiles based on the role of Type 2 (Th2) lymphocytes. Increasingly, acute respiratory distress syndrome is being recognized as a collection of heterogeneous syndromes with potentially distinct responses to therapy.…”