Allergen immunotherapy and biologics in respiratory allergy: friends or foes?

Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2021 Feb 1;21(1):16-23. doi: 10.1097/ACI.0000000000000707.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Allergen-specific immunotherapy has established as an indispensable disease-modifying treatment in allergy practice but its safety and efficacy might be furtherly improved by combining it with other drugs or therapeutic intervention that co-modulate immune type 2 immune networks.

Recent findings: In the past two decades, clinical research focused on AIT and omalizumab co-treatment to improve both safety and long-term efficacy of allergic disease treatment. Recently, combination of AIT with other biologicals targeting different mediators of type 2 inflammation has been set up with interesting preliminary results. Moreover, AIT current contraindication might be overcome by contemporarily controlling underlying type 2 inflammation in severe atopic patients.

Summary: AIT--biological combination treatment can realize a complex multitargeted treatment strategy allowing for consistently improving disease control and sparing steroid administration.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Allergens / administration & dosage
  • Allergens / immunology
  • Asthma / diagnosis
  • Asthma / immunology
  • Asthma / therapy*
  • Biological Products / administration & dosage*
  • Biological Products / adverse effects
  • Combined Modality Therapy / adverse effects
  • Combined Modality Therapy / methods
  • Desensitization, Immunologic / adverse effects
  • Desensitization, Immunologic / methods*
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage*
  • Glucocorticoids / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Rhinitis, Allergic / diagnosis
  • Rhinitis, Allergic / immunology
  • Rhinitis, Allergic / therapy*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Biological Products
  • Glucocorticoids