Asma

Asthma is a growing problem due to the sustained increase in its prevalence and its associated morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. Resources for the control of severe asthma remain limited. Advances in research technology have increased knowledge of the biological mechanisms of this disease, providing the basis for defining potential therapeutic targets and designing molecules that interact with them. These candidate agents then go through a highly selective process of pre-clinical development and the distinct phases of clinical trials. However, although biological knowledge of the mechanisms of asthma allows us to define highly specific therapeutic targets with a solid physiopathological basis, the successful development of new therapies is highly complex. The present article reviews recent advances in our knowledge of the biology of asthma and the current status of its translation into clinical practice.