New research links a rare form of mast cells to chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) treatment response.
Researchers compared myeloid progenitors in blood of with CSU and healthy controls. Treatment response to the anti-IgE therapy omalizumab (Xolair, Novartis and Genentech) was also assessed. Individuals who had a fast response to omalizumab were found to have higher numbers of myeloid progenitors in their blood when compared to people who had a slow (or no) response, to omalizumab, the study showed.
“For some people, treatment with omalizumab, an injectable drug that steadies mast cells, really works. However, for others this drug is less effective or takes much longer to work,” says study author Professor Niall Conlon, Clinical Professor, School of Medicine and Consultant Immunologist, St James’s Hospital and Clinical Lead at Ireland’s only UCARE Centre for Urticaria Management, in a news release. “It would really help us to understand better why certain people don’t respond as well to omalizumab. Information on how this happens might help us direct our treatments more effectively and make patients better, quicker”
Study author Katie Ridge, MSc, adds, “Our findings have significant implications not only in relation the individuals with urticaria but potentially other allergic diseases whereby we may be able to predict treatment response using exploration of this cell type. “
The study appears in Allergy.
