Biologics for Severe Asthma | Advanced Asthma Treatment

You may be a candidate for biologic therapy if you:

• Have severe asthma that remains poorly controlled despite optimal treatment 
• Experience frequent asthma attacks requiring oral corticosteroids 
• Have required emergency department visits or hospital admissions for asthma 
• Need regular courses of oral steroids to manage symptoms 
• Have elevated eosinophils, allergic asthma, or other biomarkers that suggest a specific type of airway inflammation 

Your respiratory specialist will assess your symptoms, medical history, lung function, blood tests, and other investigations to determine whether a biologic is suitable for you.

Asthma is not the same for everyone. Different people have different patterns of inflammation within their airways.

Biologics work by targeting key immune pathways involved in severe asthma, including:

• Immunoglobulin E (IgE) 
• Interleukin-5 (IL-5) 
• Interleukin-5 receptor (IL-5R) 
• Interleukin-4 and Interleukin-13 (IL-4/IL-13) 
• Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) 

By reducing inflammation at its source, biologics can help improve asthma control and prevent exacerbations.

Many patients experience significant improvements after starting biologic treatment, including:

• Fewer asthma attacks 
• Reduced need for oral corticosteroids 
• Improved breathing and symptom control 
• Better quality of life 
• Improved exercise tolerance 
• Fewer emergency department visits and hospital admissions 

Not every patient responds the same way, and your specialist will regularly review your progress to ensure the treatment is effective.

Several biologic medications are approved for severe asthma. The most appropriate option depends on your individual asthma type, biomarkers, and clinical history.

Treatment selection is based on:

• Blood eosinophil count 
• Allergy testing 
• Total IgE levels 
• Frequency of asthma exacerbations 
• Oral steroid dependence 
• Other associated conditions, such as chronic sinus disease or nasal polyps 

Your respiratory physician will recommend the treatment most likely to benefit you.

Before starting biologic therapy, you may undergo:

• A comprehensive asthma assessment 
• Lung function testing 
• Blood tests 
• Review of inhaler technique 
• Confirmation that current treatment has been optimised 

Once treatment begins, regular follow-up appointments help monitor:

• Symptom improvement 
• Asthma attacks 
• Lung function 
• Medication use 
• Any side effects 

Treatment effectiveness is usually reviewed after several months to determine whether ongoing therapy is appropriate.

Biologics have been extensively studied and are generally well tolerated.

The most common side effects include:

• Mild injection site reactions 
• Headache 
• Fatigue 
• Temporary upper respiratory symptoms 

Your healthcare team will discuss potential risks before treatment begins and monitor you as appropriate.