How Can Biologics Help Patients With Chronic Pulmonary Conditions?

When you’re living with a lifelong pulmonary condition, you know that careful chronic disease management can go a long way in helping improve lung function, reduce symptom flares, and breathe easier. This means adhering to a comprehensive treatment plan that may include:

• Lifestyle modifications
• Controller medications
• Acute care medicines 
• Pulmonary rehabilitation 
• Supplemental therapies

As board-certified pulmonologists who are fully committed to keeping up with the latest treatment advances for chronic lung disease, our seasoned team at Fivestar Pulmonary Associates is thrilled to offer next-level care for our patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the form of biologics. 

Here, we take a closer look at how biologics work to manage lung disease, keep you healthy, and improve your quality of life. 

Biologics vs. conventional medicine 

Biologics are medications derived from organic life. They’re made by taking genetic materials and/or proteins from living cells and cloning or genetically reproducing them on a large scale. These drugs are often large, complex molecules. 

Common conventional medications, on the other hand, are called small-molecule drugs because they typically consist of smaller, simpler molecules. These drugs are created through routine chemical synthesis. 

Small molecule drug mechanisms

Traditional, chemically synthesized medications for asthma and COPD — including inhaled corticosteroids for acute flares and oral controller medications for flare prevention — work by easing inflammation, relaxing your pulmonary muscles, opening your airway, and suppressing your overall immune system. 

While this tried-and-true approach works very well for most people, those affected by more severe forms of asthma or COPD often require more intensive therapies. Luckily, ongoing advances in biologics are making it easier than ever to control severe asthma and COPD, and usually, all it takes is periodic in-office injections. 

Biologics take a different approach

Biologics take a more advanced approach to chronic lung disease treatment and complex case management. In contrast to conventional medications, they: 

Target specific immune responses

Biologic medicines, like monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), are designed to target and block specific molecules or cells involved in the inflammatory and allergic immune responses that contribute to chronic pulmonary conditions like asthma and COPD. 

Modulate inflammation

By directly interfering with the underlying inflammatory pathways of chronic lung disease, biologics help reduce ongoing airway inflammation, leading to improved lung function and fewer, milder symptoms. 

Reduced exacerbations

Essentially, biologics connect and interact with specific parts of your immune system to keep airway inflammation dialed down. This lays the foundation for their main benefit — their ability to significantly reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations, or distressing periods of symptom worsening that can have a major impact on your health and quality of life. 

Improved lung function

Over time, biologics may also improve lung function. We can measure how well your lungs are working with regular spirometry assessments and other pulmonary function testing. 

Restored quality of life

By easing inflammation long-term, minimizing symptoms, and reducing your need for frequent medical interventions, biologics can go a long way in helping improve your quality of life with asthma or COPD. 

Ready to benefit from biologics? 

Currently, several biologics are approved by the FDA for the treatment of asthma — especially severe asthma with a high eosinophil count. While no biologics are currently FDA-approved for COPD, they are on the very near horizon, and researchers are actively working to make them a reality. 

The bottom line? Biologics can’t cure chronic pulmonary conditions, but they can be a valuable tool for managing inflammation, easing your symptoms, reducing flares, and improving your quality of life.

Ready to breathe easier? Find out if biologics may be an option for you. Start by taking our online Asthma Control Test and our COPD Assessment Test (CAT) today, and then schedule an appointment at Fivestar Pulmonary Associates in Allen, McKinney, or Plano, Texas, at your convenience.