Emerging corticosteroid agonists for the treatment of asthma

TY - JOUR

T1 - Emerging corticosteroid agonists for the treatment of asthma

AU - Westergaard, Christian G

AU - Porsbjerg, Celeste

AU - Backer, Vibeke

PY - 2015/10/2

Y1 - 2015/10/2

N2 - INTRODUCTION: Asthma is one of the most frequent chronic diseases worldwide. For decades, asthma has been treated with bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). However, adverse effects of ICS and disease heterogeneity necessitate improvements in the existing treatment regimes. Recently approved ICS show improved pharmocodynamic properties. Nevertheless, emerging drugs acting on the same receptor as the ICS, glucocorticoid receptor agonists (GRAs), are under current research. These drugs exhibit selective action on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which may improve their adverse effect profile, compared to the currently approved ICS that act unselectively on the GR.AREAS COVERED: The present article reviews emerging GRAs for the treatment of asthma. Furthermore, the more recently approved ICS with improved safety profiles are reviewed.EXPERT OPINION: Compared with drugs acting on other pathological pathways, research in GRAs for asthma is sparse. However, a few promising agents acting selectively on the GR are currently under investigation and may reach approval for asthma treatment. These drugs exhibit improved pharmacodynamic properties due to selectivity in the mechanism of action, including promotion of transrepression and reduction of transactivation. However, competition from already approved ICS and other emerging treatment options may lead to cessation of development of the new GRAs.

AB - INTRODUCTION: Asthma is one of the most frequent chronic diseases worldwide. For decades, asthma has been treated with bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). However, adverse effects of ICS and disease heterogeneity necessitate improvements in the existing treatment regimes. Recently approved ICS show improved pharmocodynamic properties. Nevertheless, emerging drugs acting on the same receptor as the ICS, glucocorticoid receptor agonists (GRAs), are under current research. These drugs exhibit selective action on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which may improve their adverse effect profile, compared to the currently approved ICS that act unselectively on the GR.AREAS COVERED: The present article reviews emerging GRAs for the treatment of asthma. Furthermore, the more recently approved ICS with improved safety profiles are reviewed.EXPERT OPINION: Compared with drugs acting on other pathological pathways, research in GRAs for asthma is sparse. However, a few promising agents acting selectively on the GR are currently under investigation and may reach approval for asthma treatment. These drugs exhibit improved pharmacodynamic properties due to selectivity in the mechanism of action, including promotion of transrepression and reduction of transactivation. However, competition from already approved ICS and other emerging treatment options may lead to cessation of development of the new GRAs.

U2 - 10.1517/14728214.2015.1061503

DO - 10.1517/14728214.2015.1061503

M3 - Review

C2 - 26108455

SN - 1472-8214

VL - 20

SP - 653

EP - 662

JO - Expert Opinion on Emerging Drugs

JF - Expert Opinion on Emerging Drugs

IS - 4

ER -