Allergy and Asthma: Small molecule approaches

Current therapies for asthma and allergy are aimed at controlling disease symptoms. For most asthmatics, inhaled anti-inflammatory therapy is effective, but a subset of patients remains symptomatic despite optimal treatment creating a clear unmet medical need. Although considered a less-serious condition than asthma, allergic diseases are common and considerably impact on the quality of life of affected individuals. Innovative disease-modifying therapeutics are needed for both allergy and asthma. Biopharmaceutical approaches may identify small molecules that target key cells and mediators that drive the inflammatory responses that underlie the pathogenesis of allergy and asthma.