Biological treatments in airway diseases

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the mainstay of anti-inflammatory treatment for both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Many asthma patients have poorly controlled disease despite high ICS doses administered in combination with a long acting beta agonist (LABA). Similarly, ICS/LABA combinations often fail to ad-equately prevent exacerbations and improve symptoms, even when given with a long acting muscarinic antagonist (“triple therapy”). There is an unmet medical need for novel anti-inflammatory therapies for asthma patients who are poorly controlled on ICS/LABA treatment, and for COPD patients who suffer with exacerbations despite treatment with triple therapy.