Identifying New Therapeutic Approaches for Asthma

需要为5%到10%的严重哮喘患者提供新的治疗方法，这些患者尽管接受了标准治疗，但控制不好。尽管使用大剂量吸入皮质类固醇加长效激动剂或口服皮质类固醇治疗，这些严重哮喘患者仍有持续的哮喘症状和反复发作的疾病。此外，口服皮质类固醇的使用与严重的和潜在的衰弱副作用有关，如糖尿病、高血压、体重增加、宿主防御受损、骨密度降低、白内障、皮肤萎缩和肌病。对于这些严重的、难治性哮喘患者，替代治疗选择有限。该项目正在调查用于治疗其他疾病的药理制剂是否可以用于治疗哮喘。目前的研究旨在确定多受体酪氨酸激酶抑制剂和mTOR抑制剂治疗哮喘的疗效。此外，处于临床前开发阶段的新的治疗方法可能会被评估。

New treatments are needed for the 5 to 10 % of severe asthmatics who are not well controlled despite treatment with standard therapy. These severe asthmatics have persistent asthma symptoms and recurrent disease exacerbations despite treatment with high-doses of inhaled corticosteroids plus long-acting β2-agonists or oral corticosteroids. In addition, the utilization of oral corticosteroids are associated with serious and potentially debilitating side effects, such as diabetes, hypertension, weight gain, impaired host defense, reduced bone density, cataracts, skin atrophy, and myopathy. Limited alternative treatment options exist for these severe, refractory asthmatics. This project is investigating whether pharmacological agents that are in use for other disorders can be utilized for the treatment of asthma. Current studies are aimed at defining the efficacy of multi-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors for the treatment of asthma. In addition, new therapeutic approaches that are in pre-clinical development may be assessed.