UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON, SOUTHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM. The inhalation of interferon beta, an immune system protein molecule has a powerful broad antiviral respiratory function that can challenge or suppress lung infections, pandemic flu and even asthma attacks. This innovation is a significant breakthrough in the treatment of millions of asthmatics worldwide.

Study shows that 80% of asthma attacks are triggered by a common cold and other viral infections. This led to the study in boosting the immune system of people with asthma. Professor Ratko Djukanovic a respiratory specialist at the University of Southampton and Southampton General Hospital led the study together with Synairgen, a respiratory drug development company spun out from the university.

In the US there are 25.7 million asthmatics and 5.4 million in the UK. They tested the drug SNG001 (inhaled interferon beta) in 134 adult asthma patients. They represent “mild moderate” to “severe” asthmatics who caught a common cold. The results were very promising given that people with difficult to treat asthma cases responded well to the new treatment.

SNG001 was able to prevent the development of asthma symptoms from getting worse during the first week of infection. The new drug boosts the antiviral defenses of the lungs of people with asthma instead of inhibiting fast evolving viruses. In this manner, it will significantly limit the harsh effects of viral infections. Thus, it will prevent the progression of the symptoms of asthma specifically to those high risk patients.

Further analysis of the data gathered are being done so that it can move on to the next phase of its development. If there are no major problems encountered, then this is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the treatment of asthma for the past two decades.