What Are Biologics, and Can They Be Used to Treat Asthma?

Biologic drugs are protein-based medical therapies, which are made from living cells. Biologic drugs can come from human, animal, or bacterial cells.¹

Biologic treatments include:¹

• Biologic drugs
• Vaccines
• Blood
• Human tissue transplants
• Gene therapy
• Cell therapy

For the most part, the term "biologics" refers to protein-based medical therapies. Biologic drugs treat many diseases and conditions, including severe asthma.^1,2

How do biologics work?

Biologics are similar to substances that our bodies produce naturally. Biologics also block other processes in the body that play a role in inflammation. This means they work with your immune system to turn down the inflammation in your body caused by severe asthma.²

How are biologics given?

Unlike most traditional drugs, biologics are given by injection or intravenous (IV) infusion. You might need to travel to a clinic for the treatment. Many times, you can be taught to self-inject biologics at home. Talk to your doctor about how you can learn to do this.²

If biologics are alive, are they safe?

Biologic drugs are made from living cells, but the product itself is not alive. All biologic drugs must undergo rigorous clinical trials to test their safety and effectiveness. They are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they are allowed to be given to people.²

All medicine, including biologics, has side effects. When choosing a treatment, you and your doctor will weigh the risks and benefits of these side effects.²

Biologic drugs can interfere with the proteins in your immune system. This might make it harder for your body to fight infections. Some people who take biologic drugs have had serious infections, including tuberculosis (TB), bacterial sepsis, and invasive fungal infections. These infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or other organisms. Some serious infections may lead to hospitalization or death.²

Other common side effects from biologic drugs include infections in the nose and reactions at the injection site (pain, redness, rash, swelling, itching, or bruising).²

What you need to know

Each biologic is different. What works for one person might not work for another. Your doctor can help you decide which biologic might be best for you and your symptoms.¹

Although biologics can effectively treat severe asthma, they do not cure it. There is currently no cure for severe asthma, and treatment is used to manage the symptoms of the disease, not to provide a cure.²

Follow the treatment regimen prescribed by your doctor for your biologics to keep working.²

There are people whose bodies fight against laboratory-made antibodies. This can make biologics ineffective. It may also cause some people to have a harmful reaction to this drug. It is not possible for doctors to predict who will have this kind of reaction.³

How are biologics used in severe asthma?

There are many different factors that are involved in deciding when it is time to start a biologic. Keeping track of your symptoms and having open and honest conversations with your doctor will help with deciding the best treatment.²

Biologics may be used after other traditional options fail to help. If you continue to have symptoms despite daily use of standard controller drugs, your rheumatologist may suggest starting a biologic drug.²

Your doctor may prescribe a biologic drug to help prevent further damage in early severe asthma.²

What biologic drugs treat severe asthma?

Currently, there are several biologic therapies approved to treat severe asthma, including:^4,5

• Xolair^® (omalizumab)
• Nucala^®(mepolizumab)
• Cinqair^® (reslizumab)
• Fasenra^® (benralizumab)
• Dupixent^® (dupilumab)
• Tezspire™ (tezepelumab-ekko)

Talk with your doctor about whether biologics may be a good treatment option for you.