Professor Giorgio Walter Canonica, Supervisor of the Personalized Medicine Center “Asthma and Allergology” at Humanitas, in an interview for Tg2’s “Medicina 33”, mentioned two of the innovations for patients who suffer from severe asthma. A specific immunotherapy against allergies, that is extremely precise thanks to molecular diagnostics and a new biological medication.
Speaking about allergies, “We do not have new devices, but we have advanced in prescribing the right specific immunotherapy. We now, have molecular diagnostics at our disposal. Except from the generic ones, that one may find with skin tests, we can identify allergen portions and thus find the actual sensitization that determines the patient’s problems. Hence, we can prescribe a specific immunotherapy in the right and most precise way possible”.
Biological medications against severe asthma
“After ten years or so and for a month now, our patients finally have had access to a new monoclonal antibody. A biological medication against interleukin-5 (mepolizumab), useful to those who suffer from severe asthma with an underlying eosinophilic inflammation”.
So, it is only recommended to patients whose allergy involves eosinophils, a type of white blood cells.
The importance of the inhaler
“Finding the right medication is important. And also combined with the right inhaler, tailored to each patient. Inhalers are very important. Of all the patients who are given the inhaler and the package leaflet, only 20% of them can use it properly. The logical consequence is that the remaining 80% won’t undergo treatment the right way”.
