Asthma is a multifactorial, and often serious disease, caused by inflammation, narrowed airways and excess mucus production.

It is often seen in patients who have other allergic diseases such as hayfever and eczema. Asthma attacks can often be triggered by environmental allergies such as dust mites, pollen, pets, or mold.

What are cutting edge treatments for asthma?

There are many new “biologics” on the market for asthma therapy. These treatments target a specific chemical in the body disrupting the inflammatory cascade.

     1. Omalizumab (Xolair)
Xolair is an antibody that binds IgE and makes it inactive.
Patients with allergies often have high levels of this allergic protein circulating in their blood.
It is given as a subcutaneous injection 1-2 times per month and can be used in patients ages 6 and up.

     2. Mepolizumab (Nucala)
Nucala is an antibody which targets the eosinophils, which are a type of white blood cell.
It is approved for patients ages 12+ with severe asthma and is injected under the skin every 4 wks.

     3. Reslizumab (Cinqair)
Cinqair is an antibody which targets a chemical in the body that is responsible for the growth of eosinophils. It is the only maintenance asthma treatment currently given as an intravenous infusion. It is approved for patients age 18 and up.

     4. Benralizumab (Fasenra)
Fasenra is approved for patients ages 12 and older with severe asthma and elevated eosinophils. The treatment is given subcutaneously once a month for the first 3 treatments and then every other month after that.

     5. Dupilumab (Dupixent)
This is currently the newest biologic for asthma on the market. It was released in 2017 for eczema and then was approved in 2018 for asthma. It blocks two chemicals in the body, IL-4, and IL-13, preventing asthma. It is given for patients age 12+ for asthma and 6+ for eczema.