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Nucala® (mepolizumab) and CinQair® (reslizumab) are approved by the FDA in November 2015 for the treatment of severe asthma and in patients with history of severe asthmatic attacks who are 12 years and older. According to the CDC, there are more than 2 millions of asthmatics in the US with more than 400,000 hospitalization due to severe asthma a year. Mepolizumab and reslizumab are also humanized monoclonal antibodies like omalizumab or Xolair®, which has been used successfully in severe cases of asthma like in patients who are on several asthma inhalers and still need several hospitalizations for asthma exacerbations. It binds to and blocks the activity of IL-5, an interleukin or cellular signal that stimulates the growth of eosinophil thus decreasing the number of eosinophil in tissues. Overpopulation of eosinophil has been seen in several diseases including asthma, atopic dermatitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, nasal polyposis, hypereosinophylic syndrome, Churg-Strauss syndrome, and COPD.
A new agent that is just approved by the FDA to treat moderate to severe eczema not adequately controlled with conventional treatment is Dupixent® (dupilumab). It is a human monoclonal antibody that blocks the action of IL-4 and IL-13, thus decreasing the relsease of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines and IgE.
For more information, please visit the official Nucala®, CinQair® or Dupixent® website.
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