Gene-targeting asthma drugs within a decade
pharmafile | September 24, 2010 | News story | Research and Development | asthma, genetic
Asthma treatments that target genetic variants found in people susceptible to the condition could be available within the next ten years.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reveals that British scientists have identified seven genes that are linked to childhood asthma.
The Imperial College-led research carried out more than 500,000 tests on over 10,000 people suffering from asthma, and 16,110 unaffected, and their findings seem to show allergies are a side effect of asthma, rather than causing the condition.
The study pinpointed seven locations on the genome where differences in the genetic code were associated with asthma.
Some of the genes identified are involved in signalling pathways that tell the immune system when the lining of the airways has been damaged. Other genes appear to control how quickly the airways heal after they have been injured.
The genetic variants identified appeared in more than a third of children with asthma, but the gene with the strongest impact on children did not affect people who developed asthma in adulthood, suggesting that the two versions of asthma may differ biologically.
One in seven UK children suffer from asthma. The reasons why people develop the disease are not yet fully clear, although scientists suspect a roughly equal mixture of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors.
Although genes contribute to asthma development, there is no way to use a genetic test to predict the condition.
Professor William Cookson, from Imperial College London, who coordinated the research, said: “One of the problems with asthma research has been choosing where to intervene in the disease pathways.
“Our study now highlights targets for effective asthma therapies, and suggests that therapies against these targets will be of use to large numbers of asthmatics.”
He added: “I would hope to see treatments using antibodies or drugs against them within ten years; it’s quite feasible.”
Leanne Metcalf, director of research at the Asthma UK charity, which part-funded the study, said: “This unique study helps us to understand in much more detail how the genetic side of things works. Importantly, it has also shown that genetic testing does not help to predict who is susceptible to developing asthma, meaning that early diagnosis and intervention, and effective treatment for everyone who is affected by asthma, are even more vital.
“However, the most exciting part is that these results will now help to ensure that scientists are able to focus their research on the most influential targets for asthma, with the important long term aim of preventing a condition which is responsible for the deaths of three people every day.”
Brett Wells
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