Antagonists of Hyaluronan Signaling for Treatment of Airway Diseases

Airway diseases, such as Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), constitute a major health burden worldwide. It is estimated, for example, that nearly 15.0% of the adult population in the US are affected with such diseases, and the economic cost burden is over $23 billion annually. Unfortunately, the current options for treatment of such diseases are quite limited, consisting only of bronchodilators and inhaled steroids. The need for a novel and more effective class of therapeutics agents is imperative. The subject invention provides for a potentially more specific and effective treatment of airway diseases as compared with existing treatments. It is based on the inhibition of Hyaluronan (HA), a structural polysaccharide that plays a role in the signaling pathway that leads to the onset of airway diseases. Such inhibition blocks the development of airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), two of the components associated with airway diseases, and thus may be useful in the treatment of such diseases. The invention discloses two antagonists of HA, i.e. heparosan, and Hyaluronan oligosaccharides (oHAs). Their administration to a human subject in need can be accomplished via the use of an inhaler or nebulizer.