Biologics in asthma: difficulties and drawbacks.

BACKGROUND: Biologics have become an increasingly important class of therapeutic compounds in a variety of immune and/or inflammatory diseases. Patients with severe uncontrolled asthma represent a significant unmet need.

METHODS: This review gives some examples of the complex use of biologics in asthma.

RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: It is very difficult to predict the efficacy of biologics in severe asthma and only one monoclonal antibody to date has been found to be effective and approved by both the FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for the treatment of difficult allergic asthma. New pathways may prove to be of importance for the development of biologics. Biologics are not devoid of side effects, which can, although not always, be predicted from their mechanism of action. These include hypersensitivity reactions, which need to be better understood to prevent and control them. Finally, biologics should be cost-effective. This review gives some examples of the complex use of biologics in asthma.