Small molecule inhibitors of cell signaling: novel future therapeutics for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases

The respiratory diseases asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit common, key pathological features, including the development of airflow limitations such as thickening of the airway wall, and the presence of an inflammatory process. However, that is where their similarities end. A large number of medications for asthma are available to decrease inflammation and prevent or reverse airway constriction, while very few therapeutics, if any, exist for the effective management of COPD. Nonetheless, despite the availability of medications for asthma, the epidemic is continuing to increase and existing therapies offer little or no relief for chronic asthmatics. It is obvious that a high, unmet medical need remains for both asthma and COPD, and innovative therapeutic agents are urgently required. New therapies need to be developed to target not only the inflammatory component of asthma and COPD, but also the remodeling aspects of these diseases. This review summarizes the emerging treatments for chronic asthma and COPD, from early discovery to late clinical stages, and discusses the therapeutic rationale behind these treatments. We believe that there is still much to be learned about the mechanisms involved in the development and treatment of these debilitating respiratory diseases, however, much promise lies in the future of these new therapeutics.