title: Monoclonal antibodies for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the inflammation in the airways cannot always be controlled with conventional therapies, such as inhaled corticosteroids. Addition of more specific anti-inflammatory therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies, against inflammation pathways might improve the disease outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review individually discusses the major inflammation pathways and their potential blocking monoclonal antibodies in asthma and COPD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current use of omalizumab in asthma provides a good example on the potential therapeutic role of monoclonal antibodies in both asthma and COPD. There are many other monoclonal antibodies which are currently investigated as possible therapies in these diseases. The identification of the disease subsets in which such antibodies might exert the maximum benefit opens the door for personalized medicine and for targeted biological therapy in asthma and COPD.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Pulmonary Disease University Hospital, Division of Pulmonary Disease, Iasi 700115, Romania. sabina.antonela.antoniu@pneum.umfiasi.ro
authors.forename: Sabina Antonela
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Antoniu
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines