Potential Role of Monoclonal Antibodies in Asthma Structural Changes

By Jordana Jampel - Last Updated: October 25, 2024

Monoclonal antibodies may be a new solution for the 260 million people who experience asthma every year.

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A recent study out of University of Sharjah led by Rola Abujabal and published in Clinical and Experimental Allergy suggests that monoclonal antibodies prevented asthma symptom aggravation when administered to patients with severe asthma.

Monoclonal antibodies are proteins or molecules produced artificially that serve as a substitute for natural antibodies that fight off germs. They work by enhancing or mimicking the immune system.

The biologic therapy’s mechanism of action in asthma is balancing the production of white blood cells and lowering asthma-related structural changes, like thickened airway walls. This differs from conventional steroid treatments, which primarily target inflammation.

Monoclonal antibodies instead offered “reduced asthma exacerbations, lower eosinophilia, and decreased airway remodeling,” and “unlike corticosteroids, [patients] are not likely to become less effective over time and are with lower side effect risk.”

There is no definitive cure for asthma, but the mechanism of biologic therapy in asthma is an encouraging avenue for researchers. Further research in this area should target “transcriptomics, proteomics, and second harmonic analysis of patient samples analyzed pre- and post-anti-[interleukin 5] therapy.”

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