New and emerging treatments for allergic conditions

Not just allergy shots anymore…

“Biologic therapies” target specific receptors within our immune system, preventing the cycle of inflammation from beginning. There are multiple biologic treatments for asthma available at present, including Xolair, Nucala, Cinqair, and Fasenra, and several that are expected to be available in the near future. These medications have proven to decrease asthma exacerbations, resulting in decreased need for steroid use, thus increasing quality of life for patients. Our office has been administering Xolair since it was initially approved for allergic asthma in 2003. In fact, we have patients who began Xolair in 2003 and continue to take it today.

Many biologics are effective at treating more than one condition. Xolair was approved to treat Idiopathic Urticaria (hives) in 2014, making it the first and only drug targeting this condition. Xolair has provided relief to nearing one hundred of our patients that were suffering form this incredibly frustrating condition.

Skin conditions are not only physically uncomfortable, but can cause patients to be self-conscious about their appearance. There have been numerous biologic medications that have been effective at treating conditions like psoriasis, but it was only recently that Dupixent was approved to treat Eczema, or Atopic dermatitis. In clinical trials, nearly half of the patients in the study experienced significant improvement in their skin after only 16 weeks of treatment with Dupixent.

Phototherapy is another treatment we are utilizing for allergic skin conditions, such as eczema. We are performing phototherapy on patients with moderate-severe eczema on their hands and feet, which has not responded to prescription topical creams and ointments. Our phototherapy device allows patients to have targeted treatment, without having unnecessary exposure to the rest of the body.

We are providing all of these new treatments here at ADAC. If you would like to learn more about biologic therapies, please contact our office.