Safety of biological treatment of severe asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that rapidly spread around the world and therefore is a challenge for treating chronic diseases, such as severe asthma. According to the guidelines of various health organizations, biological treatment in patients with severe asthma should be continued. The aim of this study was to evaluate the information we have gathered so far about safety of biological treatment of severe asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed data involving omalizumab, reslizumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab and dupilumab coming from case studies, surveys, single-center and multicenter studies, and review articles as well. The study focuses on risks of asthmatic patients’ deterioration during COVID-19 and the severity of the infection itself. As a result, we learned that there is no strong evidence for asthma exacerbations in patients infected with COVID-19 while on their biological treatment course. Biological therapy can be safely used in patients with severe asthma, as long as all the precautions and the individual evaluation are provided.