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Medical New preparations based on antibodies against allergies
The treatment of allergies is still rather difficult and usually focuses on alleviating the symptoms. But "antibody preparations, which have been introduced as biologicals in recent years for the treatment of asthma and skin diseases, could in the future also people who suffer from severe allergies, life easier," reports the German Society of Otolaryngology -Heilkunde, Head and Neck Surgery (DGHNO KHC).
At the 88th Annual Meeting of the DGHNO KHC in Erfurt, the expert Professor Ludger Klimek from the Allergy Center Wiesbaden informs about the possibilities of the allergy treatment with antibodies. Almost every third German suffers from allergies, much of it under hay fever. The consequences of allergic rhinitis include chronically congested paranasal sinuses and nasal polyps. Often it will proceed against the symptoms with nasal sprays from the pharmacy, which block as antihistamines the effect of the messenger histamine in the mucous membrane, reports the DGHNO KHC. In the future, drugs based on specific antibodies could offer an alternative here.
Many people suffer from hay fever. They may be helped in the future with new antibodies-based drugs. (Image: drubig-photo / fotolia.de) Previous treatment options for allergies are inadequate
Nasal sprays with antihistamines, cortisone-containing nasal sprays or eye drops and a so-called specific immunotherapy (previously referred to as hyposensitization) are the treatment approaches available to date for allergies. "But not all patients achieve a satisfactory result with the current therapies," stresses Professor Klimek. And in particular patients with very strong allergies (allergic shock) or reactions to many different allergenic substances have so far been inadequately supplied.
New group of drugs based on antibodies
According to the expert in the next few years, a further group of medicines could be available for the patients mentioned, which has already proven itself in other inflammatory diseases. These are antibodies that specifically intervene in the inflammatory processes that lead to swelling of the mucous membrane in the nose, paranasal sinuses and in the conjunctiva of the eye. "Allergic inflammation is an interaction of different cells that communicate with each other via messenger substances," explains Professor Klimek.
Already approved several drugs for the treatment of asthma
According to Professor Klimek, the crucial messengers in allergies can be intercepted with the help of antibodies. For example, three antibodies that are injected under the skin at intervals of several weeks have already been introduced in Germany in recent years for the treatment of severe asthma. The first one was omalizumab (early 2005). This "antibody binds the allergic IgE antibodies, which has saved many asthma patients from emergency departments in a clinic," says Prof. Klimek. In addition, since last year, asthma patients can also be treated with mepolizumab, which binds the messenger substance interleukin 5. Furthermore, Reslizumab has been on the market as a further interleukin-5 antibody since the beginning of the year.
Antkörper can also be used against atopic dermatitis and hay fever?
In addition to the three drugs already available, a fourth antibody (dupilumab), which neutralizes interleukins 4 and 13, is already in the pipeline, according to the expert. This has achieved good results in children with eczema. In view of the fact that the immunological mechanisms are comparable for different allergies, Prof. Klimek assumes that the antibodies "sooner or later" will also be used for other allergies. The skilled person is convinced that in addition to the prevention of allergic shock reactions (anaphylaxis), food allergies, insect venom allergies and atopic dermatitis severe cases of allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps will be among the areas of application.
According to Professor Klimek, the IgE antagonist omalizumab has already been proven in some studies in patients with chronic sinusitis, but also in patients with hay fever. According to the expert, antibodies are similar in their mode of action to natural biology, which is why they are also referred to as biopharmaceuticals or biologics. (Fp)