New Drug Eases Asthma Symptoms

And Nelson was not impressed by the nature of theLancetstudies. "These were allergen-challenge studies," he said. "An allergen-challenge study is not asthma. A positive response in an allergen-challenge study is not a positive response in asthma."

However, Dr. Marc E. Rothenberg, director of the division of allergy and immunology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, had a markedly different reaction.

"The idea that a drug can block this pathway and block the asthmatic reaction is very exciting," Rothenberg said.

While the two trials were small, "they were not insignificant," he added. "Such a dramatic effect with a small sample size indicates that the effect will not be trivial."

The new drug is a result of two decades of research, and "key targets have been identified through this molecular research," Rothenberg said.

Drug companies now are testing a number of drugs aimed at blocking cytokine activity in asthma, he added.

More information

For more on asthma and its treatment, consult the National Library of Medicine.

SOURCES: Malinda Longphre, Ph.D., director, clinical department, Aerovance Inc., Berkeley, Calif.; Harold Nelson, M.D., professor, medicine, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver; Marc E. Rothenberg, M.D., director, division of allergy and immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Oct. 19, 2007,The Lancet