Biologic therapies advance severe asthma treatment

Some treatments show potential for wider application.

Biologic therapies are helping advance severe asthma management by targeting specific inflammatory pathways, shifting care from symptom control to potential remission, according to GlobalData.

In a statement, GlobalData said biologic treatments, which were initially focused on eosinophilic asthma, now have potential for wider application, offering benefits to patients with various inflammatory profiles.

“Biologics have fundamentally changed our approach to severe asthma by enabling targeted, personalised treatment, but expanding access is crucial to realizing their full potential,” said Sravani Meka, senior pharmaceutical analyst at GlobalData.

“The long-term impact of these therapies could shift asthma management from simply controlling symptoms to achieving remission, like advances seen in fields like rheumatoid arthritis,” Meka added.

However, cost, access, and insurance barriers limit biologic therapy availability, especially in underserved communities. Environmental and social factors also complicate asthma treatment, as many patients in high-risk areas get exposed to pollutants that worsen their symptoms.

Whilst there are efforts to expand access to biologics in severe asthma treatment, experts said success will still depend on systemic changes to improve healthcare equity and accessibility.

“To truly transform asthma care there needs to be sustained attention to cost and accessibility issues, ensuring that biologics are available to all patients who could benefit from them,” Meka said.