Corresponding authors:
Mohamed H. Shamji, PhD
Immunomodulation and Tolerance Group, Allergy & Clinical Immunology
Inflammation, Repair and Development, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, 1st Floor, Room 111, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus
London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 75941673, Mobile: +44 (0) 7872850369.
Emails: m.shamji@imperial.ac.uk
Thomas Eiwegger, MD
Division of Immunology and Allergy, Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Program, The Department of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, ON, Toronto, Canada,
E-mail: thomas.eiwegger@sickkids.ca
Tel.: +1 416-813-7654 ext. 1862
INTRODUCTION
Advances in molecular biology alongside the accelerated development of gene and cell engineering have contributed to the development of several endotype-targeted biological therapies against chronic immune-mediated allergic diseases. Conventional therapies for asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with polyposis (CRSwNP), chronic spontaneous urticaria and atopic dermatitis (AD) are not without limitations, and as such the advent of biological therapies have provided a promising alternative treatment option. Biologicals have proven efficacious in the treatment of refractory chronic spontaneous urticaria, asthma, AD, CRSwNP and there is increasing evidence for their utility in treating food allergy1-3. Biologicals are applied and investigated for the most urgent need: acute treatment, symptom control and reduction of steroid usage. Currently there are five approved biologicals for allergic disease management, targeted against IgE (omalizumab), type 2 (T2) cytokines and cytokine receptors (IL-4Rα; dupilumab, IL-5; mepolizumab/reslizumab, IL-5Rα; benralizumab)2.