In the first October 2006 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (published by the American Thoracic Society), a reseach paper reported that treatment of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha, an anti-inflammatory monoclonal antibody to patients with symptomatic moderate asthma resulted to fewer disease exacerbations compared to the placebo group.

Trevor T. Hansel, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Royal Brompton Hospital in London with 11 other associates infused 14 patients with infliximab, a monoclonal antibody that binds and neutralizes tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFá).

Infliximab popular brand name is Remicade(R).

According to Dr. Hansel:

"Anti-TNFá therapy has been shown to be effective in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease and psoriasis, but ineffective in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Preliminary reports of efficacy in asthma patients with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis have been encouraging. Small prospective studies of a soluble receptor directed against TNFá in severe refractory asthma have also shown improvements in lung function and airway hyperresponsiveness."

"Treatment with infliximab reduced the number of moderate exacerbations in patients with asthma, as monitored by morning and evening use of an electronic spirometer incorporating a clinical diary. Although infliximab therapy did not show significant efficacy for the primary endpoint of monitoring peak expiratory flow (PEF), it did produce a significant decrease in the diurnal (during the day) variation in the PEF rate."

No adverse events associated with using the monoclonal antibody for treatment were reported, meriting anti-TNFá therapy further study in larger clinical trials in severe asthma patients.

Read more at Science Daily.

Photo Credit: [asthma.upmc.com]