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  7. Treating COPD with Biologics

Treating COPD with Biologics

Biologic medications target your immune system and can help treat Type 2 inflammation in COPD.
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COPD & Biologics: Understanding Targeted Treatment

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If your COPD symptoms are getting worse, it may be time to explore additional treatment options. Learn how biologics, a targeted add-on therapy, may help with moderate-to-severe COPD by reducing inflammation, symptoms and flare-ups. Talk to your health care provider about whether a blood biomarker test can help determine if a biologic is right for you.

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When you have COPD, and your symptoms are getting worse even though you are using your inhalers as directed, it’s time to start looking into additional treatment options. Changing or worsening symptoms may be a sign your COPD is moderate-to-severe and more treatment is needed.

Biologics are a targeted add-on medication that can help some people living with moderate-to-severe COPD breathe easier. Biologics target eosinophils, a type of white blood cell that can contribute to inflammation in the lungs. By reducing the activity of eosinophils, biologics can help reduce inflammation and lead to fewer COPD symptoms and flare-ups.

Biologics are not for everyone. Your healthcare provider will need to run a blood biomarker test to see if you have type-2 inflammation for you to benefit from a biologic.

If your COPD feels uncontrolled, talk to your healthcare provider about add-on therapy and if a biologic can help you breathe easier. Learn more at Lung.org/copd.

Biologics are a type of medication that helps people living with COPD improve their symptoms and lung function by targeting the overactive immune system. 

Key Points:

  • Biologics differ from conventional drugs because they are made from sources such as cells, tissue or yeast vs chemicals and target the biologic processes in your body rather than just the symptoms.
  • Before you are prescribed a biologic medication, your healthcare provider will order a blood test to measure the level of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell.
  • Biologic medications are an injectable and added to your current treatment plan. 

About Type 2 Inflammation in COPD

When you have COPD, you have chronic or long-term inflammation or swelling in the airways. This inflammation causes your airways to become narrower, making it harder to get air out of your lungs.

You may have an allergic type of inflammation, called Type 2, caused by an overactive immune system. When your immune system overreacts to an exposure like allergens or triggers, it releases eosinophils, a type of white blood cell. Eosinophils help protect you from infections, but too many cause more breathing-related symptoms, exacerbations or flare ups and can lower your lung function.

What are biologic medications?

Biologic medications are often used for serious or harder to treat conditions, that may not respond to traditional medications or treatments. Biologics are used to treat moderate to severe COPD, severe asthma, and certain types of cancer. Insulin is another example of biologic medication.

How do biologic medications work for COPD? 

Biologics work differently than your inhaled or oral COPD medications. They target the part of your immune system that causes Type 2 inflammation and help lower your eosinophil levels. This is an injectable medication and added to your current treatment plan.  There are two FDA-approved medications to treat the Type 2 inflammation in COPD.

This medication is a subcutaneous, under the skin, injection and given every two weeks at home or at your provider’s office.

This medication is a subcutaneous, under the skin, injection and can be given every four weeks at home or at your provider’s office.

Who is eligible?

Not everyone will benefit from biologic medication. Before a biologic medication is recommended, your healthcare provider will order a blood test to check your blood eosinophil levels and determine if you have Type 2 inflammation. Your healthcare provider may recommend biologic medications, if you have:

  • a certain level of blood eosinophils
  • moderate to severe COPD
  • exacerbations, despite being on optimal treatment

What are the benefits and risks?

If you have Type 2 inflammation, biologics can help:

  • reduce your flareups or exacerbations
  • improve your lung function
  • improve your quality of life

Each medication has side effects but some of the more common ones include injection site reactions, allergic reactions, headache, back pain and diarrhea.

Page last updated: August 5, 2026

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