Simultaneously with the steady progress towards a better knowledge of the 
pathobiology of asthma, the potential usefulness of anticytokine therapies is 
emerging as one of the key concepts in the newly developing treatments of this 
widespread airway disease. In particular, given the key role played by 
interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 in the pathophysiology of the most typical aspects 
of asthma, such as chronic airway inflammation, tissue remodeling, and bronchial 
hyperresponsiveness, these pleiotropic cytokines are now considered as suitable 
therapeutic targets. Among the recently developed antiasthma biologic drugs, the 
monoclonal antibody dupilumab is very promising because of its ability to 
inhibit the biological effects of both IL-4 and IL-13. Indeed, dupilumab 
prevents IL-4/13 interactions with the α-subunit of the IL-4 receptor complex. A 
recent trial showed that in patients with difficult-to-control asthma, dupilumab 
can markedly decrease asthma exacerbations and improve respiratory symptoms and 
lung function; these effects were paralleled by significant reductions in 
T-helper 2-associated inflammatory biomarkers. However, further larger and 
longer trials are required to extend and validate these preliminary results, and 
also to carefully study the safety and tolerability profile of dupilumab.