Monoclonal Antibodies in Allergy; Current Applications and Promising Trials

Abstract

Allergic disorders, including asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergies, urticaria and anaphylaxis have significant impacts on our daily lives. Innovation of novel treatment modalities targeting effector cells, cytokines, receptors or signaling pathways may bring new alternatives in the management of diseases, including allergic disorders. Understanding the mechanisms of allergic immune response is a requisite to plan or switch to a new or an adjunctive treatment course instead of or in addition to current conventional therapies, which are almost effective and safe in most of the cases. Monoclonal antibodies are major candidates that may act on the specific targets of allergic immune response in the treatment of these disorders. As monoclonal antibodies may contribute to our designing of new treatment options within the next years, specific concerns have to be considered such as efficacy, safety, long-term tolerability of these molecules as well as identifying associations with the mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. Hereby, it is aimed to review most of the currently published clinical studies in which some monoclonal antibodies were trialed for the management of allergic disorders. This review also addressed some recently patented monoclonal antibodies and their uses.

Monoclonal Antibodies in Allergy; Updated Applications and Promising Trials

“…This review article further extends my previous publication [1] on the usage of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of allergic disorders.…”

“…A detailed characterization of the mechanisms of allergic immune response in addition to advances in developmental area of monoclonal antibodies and engineering are encouraging. The aim of this updated article is to review most recent data about monoclonal antibodies trialed for the management of allergic disorders [1]. Studies that appeared in PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov are mostly mentioned.…”

“…Mepolizumab has shown a significant glucocorticoid-sparing effect, reduced exacerbations, and improved control of asthma symptoms compared to placebo [92]. Mepolizumab therapy has induced a marked decrease in blood eosinophilia, reduced eosinophil activation and circulating levels of IL-5 in hyper-eosinophilic disorders [1,93]. It has been reported that mepolizumab can reduce the numbers of esophageal intraepithelial eosinophils both in children and adults with eosinophilic esophagitis [94,95].…”