Biomed Radio - Washington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis

An investigational drug appears to cut the risk of severe asthma attacks in half for patients who have difficulty controlling the disorder with standard medications. That's according to a pair of multicenter clinical trials, headed by asthma researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. BY DEFINITION, PATIENTS WITH HARD-TO-CONTROL ASTHMA ARE AT GREATER RISK FOR ASTHMA ATTACKS, THE TYPES OF PROBLEMS THAT REQUIRE THEM TO CONTACT THEIR PHYSICIAN, OR EVEN TO GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM. BUT STUDYING ALMOST 1000 PEOPLE WITH HARD-TO-CONTROL ASTHMA AT MORE THAN 200 CENTERS ON 6 CONTINENTS, A RESEARCH TEAM, LED BY ASTHMA SPECIALISTS AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN ST. LOUIS, HAS FOUND THAT IN SOME PATIENTS AN INVESTIGATIONAL DRUG CAN CUT THE RISK FOR SEVERE ASTHMA ATTACKS IN HALF. JIM DRYDEN REPORTS… THE INVESTIGATIONAL DRUG IS CALLED RESLIZUMAB, AND IT INTERFERES WITH THE ACTIVITY OF AN INFLAMMATORY SUBSTANCE IN THE BODY CALLED INTERLEUKIN-5. A PAST STUDY OF A SIMILAR DRUG HAD F