Golimumab for severe asthma

Abstract

Backgorund: In severe asthma anti-TNF-α therapies might be effective in improving disease control based on preclinical results and on clinical short-term data. However, the long-term efficacy and safety is not known. Objective: To discuss the data on golimumab, an anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody currently used in various forms of arthritis, evaluated as an add-on anti-inflammatory therapy in severe asthma. Methods/results: Critical appraisal of the efficacy and safety clinical data. Golimumab was not found to be generally efficacious and demonstrated an unfavourable risk–benefit ratio, but in some asthma subsets its better therapeutic effects might support its use provided the long-term safety is acceptable. Conclusions: Although at first sight the safety and efficacy data of long-term use of golimumab in severe asthma might be unsupportive, in some disease subsets it might be really effective.

Keywords::

• asthma
• efficacy
• golimumab
• safety
• TNF-α