title: Role of biologics in severe eosinophilic asthma - focus on reslizumab.
abstract: Within the context of the heterogeneous phenotypic stratification of asthmatic population, many patients are characterized by moderate-to-severe eosinophilic asthma, not adequately controlled by relatively high dosages of inhaled and even oral corticosteroids. Therefore, these subjects can obtain significant therapeutic benefits by additional biologic treatments targeting interleukin-5 (IL-5), given the key pathogenic role played by this cytokine in maturation, activation, proliferation, and survival of eosinophils. In particular, reslizumab is a humanized anti-IL-5 monoclonal antibody that has been found to be an effective and safe add-on therapy, capable of decreasing asthma exacerbations and significantly improving disease control and lung function in patients experiencing persistent allergic or nonallergic eosinophilic asthma, despite the regular use of moderate-to-high doses of inhaled corticosteroids. These important therapeutic effects of reslizumab, demonstrated by several controlled clinical trials, have led to the recent approval by US Food and Drug Administration of its use, together with other antiasthma medications, for the maintenance treatment of patients suffering from severe uncontrolled asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University "Magna Græcia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Girolamo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pelaia
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vatrella
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University "Magna Græcia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Busceti
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University "Magna Græcia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gallelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University "Magna Græcia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariaimmacolata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Preianò
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University "Magna Græcia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University "Magna Græcia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Terracciano
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University "Magna Græcia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maselli
keywords: IL-5; Janus kinases; MAPK; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; eosinophilic asthma; reslizumab