New explanation for why airways close in asthma holds promise for future class of drugs

(Houston Methodist) Houston Methodist researchers have a new explanation for what causes the lungs' airways to close during asthma attacks that could change the lives of the 300 million people worldwide who suffer from asthma. The discovery holds promise for developing a new class of drugs that is radically different from the steroids currently used to treat it. The NIH-funded study is in the Feb. 5 issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine.