As research reveals more about asthma and the intricate mechanisms behind it, treatment is shifting toward a more personalized approach, especially through the use of biologic therapies and new management strategies to control symptoms and improve patient quality of life.

Here are some fast facts on asthma:

• Nearly 28 million people in the United States have asthma, making it one of the most common diseases in the country.¹

• It is estimated that nine to 11 people die from asthma each day in the United States, but nearly all of these deaths could be avoided with the right treatment and care.¹

• Asthma rates vary according to age, gender, race/ethnicity, and location of the country. Asthma is diagnosed more often in male children than in female children, but asthma is more common in female adults than in male adults.²

• Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in children in the United States, with there being around five million children with asthma in the country.¹

• Five to 10 percent of asthma patients in the United States are considered to have severe asthma. Severe asthma is differentiated from milder forms of the disease when symptoms remain largely uncontrolled despite using the highest dose of inhaled corticosteroids plus a second controller and/or oral corticosteroids, reducing risks through lifestyle modification, and following rigorous treatment plans.³

Biologic therapies for the treatment of asthma

For patients with moderate-to-severe forms of asthma that are not well-controlled with standard therapy, biologic therapies may be an option.⁴ Biologics have been used in the treatment of asthma patients for a little over 20 years, with the first biologic, omalizumab, getting approved in 2003.⁵ Since then, additional biologics that target different inflammatory pathways have been developed.⁵ This provides options when it comes to choosing a biologic to treat the specific types of asthma and the specific symptoms experienced by patients with the disease.⁶ As of April 2026, there are seven biologics approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat asthma:⁶

• XOLAIR^® (omalizumab): XOLAIR is used to treat moderate-to-severe allergic asthma in ages 6+ by targeting immunoglobulin E (IgE) and is administered by the patient themselves, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional as a subcutaneous injection every two to four weeks.⁶
• NUCALA^® (mepolizumab): NUCALA is used to treat severe eosinophilic asthma in ages 6+ by targeting interleukin-5 (IL-5) and is administered by the patient themselves, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional as a subcutaneous injection every four weeks.⁶
• FASENRA^® (benralizumab): FASENRA is used to treat severe eosinophilic asthma in ages 6+ by targeting IL-5 and is administered by the patient themselves, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional as a subcutaneous injection every four weeks for the first three doses, and then every eight weeks after that.⁶
• CINQAIR^® (reslizumab): CINQAIR is used to treat severe eosinophilic asthma in ages 18+ by targeting IL-5 and is administered by a healthcare professional as an intravenous infusion every four weeks.⁶  
• DUPIXENT^® (dupilumab): DUPIXENT is used to treat moderate-to-severe eosinophilic or oral corticosteroid (OCS)-dependent asthma in ages 6+ by targeting interleukins 4 and 13 (IL-4 and IL-13) and is administered by the patient themselves, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional as a subcutaneous injection every two to four weeks.⁶
• TEZSPIRE^® (tezepelumab-ekko): TEZSPIRE is used to treat severe asthma, both allergic and eosinophilic, in ages 12+ by targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and is administered by the patient themselves, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional as a subcutaneous injection every four weeks.⁶
• EXDENSUR (depemokimab-ulaa): EXDENSUR is used to treat severe eosinophilic asthma in ages 12+ by targeting IL-5 and is administered by a healthcare professional as a subcutaneous injection every six months, making it the first ultra-long-acting biologic approved for asthma in the United States.⁶

Cigna Healthcare coverage policies

Below are the current Cigna Healthcare^® coverage policies for the various biologics used to treat asthma*:

• XOLAIR Coverage Policy.
• NUCALA Coverage Policy.
• FASENRA Coverage Policy.
• DUPIXENT Coverage Policy.
• TEZSPIRE Coverage Policy.
• CINQAIR Coverage Policy.

Accredo Specialty Pharmacy

Accredo^® Specialty Pharmacy is a Cigna Healthcare specialty pharmacy. XOLAIR, NUCALA, FASENRA, DUPIXENT, and TEZSPIRE can all be prescribed through Accredo, giving your patients with asthma access to:

• A team of specialty-trained pharmacists and nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Personalized care services, including counseling and training on how to administer medications, at no extra cost.
• Adherence support.
• In-home nursing support.
• Fast shipping to a patient’s home or a doctor’s office, at no extra cost.
• Easy digital or telephonic refills and dose reminders.
• Easy management of medications and tracking of orders through the myCigna^® app or website.
• Help with applying for third-party copay assistance programs and other payment options.

You can find more information on Accredo here.

*These coverage policies apply to most, but not all, Cigna Healthcare health plans. Patients should consult their individual medical plans for coverage details.

1. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). “Asthma Facts.” AAFA. April 2026. Retrieved from https://aafa.org/asthma/asthma-facts/.

2. American Lung Association. “Current Asthma Demographics.” American Lung Association. 20 June 2025. Retrieved from https://www.lung.org/research/trends-in-lung-disease/asthma-trends-brief/current-demographics.

3. American Lung Association. “Severe Asthma.” American Lung Association. 15 April 2026. Retrieved from https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/learn-about-asthma/types/severe-asthma. 

4. American Lung Association. “Understand Your Asthma Medication.” American Lung Association. 23 October 2024. Retrieved from https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/treatment/medication.

5. Zicong Zhou, et al. “Application of Biologics in the Treatment of Asthma in the Past Two Decades: A Bibliometric Analysis and Beyond.” Journal of Asthma and Allergy. 19 May 2025. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12101456/.

6. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). “Biologics for the Treatment of Asthma.” AAFA. March 2026. Retrieved from https://aafa.org/asthma/asthma-treatment/biologics-asthma-treatment/.