March 24, 2016
Asthma, clinical trials, FDA, medicine

Good news if you or someone you love has severe persistent asthma:  the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just approved a new treatment.  It is a new injectable medicine called Cinqair (reslizumab) and is indicated for those with uncontrolled severe asthma. Cinqair is the second biologic monoclonal antibody (genetically-engineered protein derived from human genes) to be approved to reduce a particular kind of allergic inflammation in the lungs and airways. Nucala (mepolizumab) was the first such biologic approved by the FDA for allergic inflammation.  Patients who are candidates for Cinqair or Nucala typically have a particular cell called an eosinophil that is elevated in the blood and lung airway.   

These newly approved biologic therapies, in addition to Xolair (omalizumab), are becoming increasingly important drug therapies for individuals whose moderate to severe asthma requires multiple medications.  Cinqair was approved 3/23/2016 but is not yet available. As more details become available, you can count on The Asthma Center to keep you informed.

Nucala and Xolair are available. However, not all specialists have the resources or experience to offer these new biologic agents to their patients.  Often patients need to use outside infusion facilities.  The result is that the process of taking these new drugs is more time consuming, inconvenient, and more costly than when done by the professionals best suited to manage your asthma.  In these circumstances, individuals report that it is “more trouble than it’s worth” to get their asthma under control and lose the chance to improve their quality of life.

The physicians, nurses and staff at The Asthma Center have years of experience conducting clinical trials on these injectable biologic medications prior to FDA approval.  We’ve seen firsthand in our clinical practice as well the difference these new treatments can make.  Our group works together to make sure our patients can benefit from these new treatments by directly receiving their injections in our conveniently located offices, from a specialty team they trust, and with as little hassle as possible.  We have a committed staff that works directly with your insurance company and drug formulary to get these drugs covered by your plan.

If you or someone you love has severe and persistent asthma which is not controlled with medications, we recommend you ask your asthma specialist if you are a candidate for one of these new, very effective medications!