Asthma

Asthma patients receiving treatment: 5.2 million people (1.1m children + 4.1m adults). Deaths: 1,381 in 2004. Those suffering severe symptoms: 2.6m. No effective existing medication: 500,000 serious attacks.

1381/5200000 = 0.027%

500,000/2600000 = 19.2%

Something not right there. A way of manufacturing and delivering the newly identified family of immune proteins, lambda-interferons, must be developed before they can be tested as a therapy. Enter Synairgen, a biotechnology company. Grants forthcoming? Work already done? Well, start asking yourself questions. Fascinating how news like this always breaks when there is a 'cure' just around the corner.