Biological treatments for severe asthma in childhood and adolescence

Abstract

Asthma is the most common chronic inflammatory disease in pediatric ages. Among the children and adolescents with asthma, it is estimated that 4.5% present with severe asthma. Recently, several monoclonal antibodies were approved for the treatment of severe asthma in pediatric patients. Currently, the biologics approved for use in Portugal for the treatment of pediatric severe asthma are: omalizumab (anti-IgE, approved for children and adolescents aged 6 years and over), mepolizumab (anti-IL-5, also for patients 6 years and older), and dupilumab (anti-IL4/IL-13, for patients aged 12 years and over). All the currently available biologics target molecules involved in Th2 inflammation, the most frequent type of inflammation in pediatric asthma patients. We here review the evidence on the biologics currently approved or under development for the treatment of pediatric severe asthma.