In Vitro Evaluation of a Novel Drug on Airway Epithelial Cells Obtained From Participants With Severe Asthma
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2016-10-19
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Asthma is a long term disease of the lungs. In asthma patients the sensitive airway tubes
narrow in reaction to something that irritates the airways such as allergens or environmental
pollutants. There is currently no cure for asthma and new medicines or combinations of
medicines are needed that will be of benefit to patients particularly those with a more
severe disease.
Activation of certain signal molecules inside the lung cells may participate in the
development of asthma and the response to allergens. Blocking these signal molecules
specifically with medicines might therefore be beneficial in the treatment of asthma. In this
study we want to test a new medicine that specifically targets a subset of signal molecules
that are associated with the allergen response in the lung. In particular, we want to test
this medicine on cells obtained from the lungs of asthma patients. Understanding the effects
of this new medicine on these asthmatic lung cells will give vital information on how this
new medicine works before we can test it in asthma patients.