Glossary

Airways (or bronchial tubes)
The tubes that conduct air in and out of the lungs

Allergen
A protein substance that may provoke an allergic response in a susceptible person. Common allergens include house-dust mite faeces, grass pollen and cat dander

Antibody
A protein produced by cells of the immune system which specifically recognises a target molecule known as an antigen. A key component of the body's immune defence mechanism to foreign agents

Antigen
A molecule that is capable of stimulating production of an antibody in the body, usually a foreign and potentially toxic molecule

Assay
A laboratory test used to determine parameters such as the strength of a solution, the proportion of a compound in a mixture, the potency of a drug or the purity of a preparation

Asthma
A disorder in which the airways become episodically narrowed, leading to wheeze, shortness of breath, cough and chest tightness. Also see Severe asthma

Atopy
A state of hypersensitivity to certain allergens

B₂-agonists
Also known as beta agonists – see Bronchodilators

Barrier Function
Cells lining the airways create a physical barrier to the ingress of external agents (allergens, pollutants etc) by forming a tight seal which surrounds each cell and keeps close contacts between cells. These are called tight junctions. Failure of this ‘barrier’ results in access of toxic/harmful agents into the interior tissue of the lung

Biobank
A collection of samples from clinically-characterised volunteers comprising blood, induced sputum, bronchial biopsies and epithelial cells. These samples are used to develop the complex in vitro human disease models

Bronchodilators
Medicines which relax the muscles around the airways, helping the airways to open up, so making it easier to breathe. There are several types of bronchodilators, of which short acting beta-agonist drugs are the most commonly used

Chronic
Persistent

Chronic bronchitis
An inflammation of the airways accompanied by coughing and production of phlegm. The symptoms are present for at least three months in each of two consecutive years. See COPD

Clinical Trial Authorisation
An authorisation from the MHRA to conduct a clinical trial

COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease covers two conditions: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD usually results from long-term exposure to irritants to the lungs, of which the most prevalent is tobacco smoking. Unlike asthma, where airflow obstruction varies, in COPD airflow obstruction is largely irreversible

Drugable
Suitable for pharmaceutical development

Emphysema
A destructive process involving the air spaces (alveoli) of the lungs, which leads to over-inflation of the lung and, when sufficiently advanced, causes breathlessness and lack of oxygenation of blood. See COPD

Epithelium
In the lung, the epithelium is a thin layer of cells which lines the airway tubes in order to protect and regulate the tissue underneath

Exacerbation
A rapid deterioration of a chronic disease that makes the
symptoms worse

Growth factor
A protein that signals for cells to grow and divide

IFNβ
Interferon beta is a natural protein found in the body which helps to regulate the immune system and fight off viruses. IFNβ is currently marketed by a number of companies as an intravenous (injectable) therapy for the treatment of multiple sclerosis

IgE
Immunoglobin E, a class of antibodies, which play a major role in allergic diseases

In vitro
Carried out in the laboratory, e.g. in a test tube or culture plate

In vitro model (complex)
A research model which contains more than one cell type and allows the study of interactions between different cell types and ‘test’ agents relevant to the disease or a therapy

Lower airway
The airway tubes in the lung running from the throat down, ending in the air spaces (alveoli) where gas exchange occurs

MHRA
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency; a UK government body tasked with ensuring that medicines and medical devices work and are safe

Morbidity
Incidence or prevalence of a disease

Mucus
A gelatinous substance normally produced by the epithelium to protect and hydrate the airway surface from harmful agents

Patent Cooperation Treaty
A system by which a patent application can be filed in many different countries at once. A single international application is filed initially at a receiving office. After a search and publication, the application may be converted to a series of national applications in different countries

Phase I Clinical Trial
A study conducted in healthy subjects to determine the biological effects of a drug, especially safety and tolerability

Phase IIa Clinical Trial
A study in a limited number of patients with the aim of making a preliminary determination of the efficacy of a drug to provide proof of concept and/or to study drug dose ranges

Phase III Clinical Trial
A full scale clinical trial to determine drug efficacy and safety prior to seeking marketing approval

Phlegm
See Sputum

Protein
Large molecules constructed of smaller biological units known as 'amino acids'. Proteins are responsible for majority of the function and much of the structure of living things, including humans

Proteomics
The systematic and comprehensive identification and characterisation of proteins expressed from cells, tissues or organisms in terms of quality, structural modification, location within cells, activity and function

Pulmonary
Relating to, functioning like, or associated with the lungs

Rhinovirus
Rhinoviruses are the most common viral infective agents in humans. The most well known disease caused by rhinoviruses is the common cold

Safety study
See Phase I Clinical Trials

Severe asthma
Severe asthma is defined by Asthma UK as the level of asthma which causes disturbed sleep on a weekly basis, or attacks of wheeze on a monthly basis, or one or more speech-limiting attacks in the last year

Sputum
The thick mucus which is coughed up by a person. Sputum contains cells and soluble substances secreted into the airways (bronchi), some of which can mediate disease if present in amounts different to normal. Sputum is also commonly called phlegm

Steroids
A group of chemicals that is produced naturally in the body by the adrenal gland.
In asthma, steroids are given by inhalation or by mouth to reduce the inflammation of the airways

Tissue engineering
The creation of living tissues for therapeutic purposes. In Synairgen’s case, tissue is grown in complex in vitro models to recapitulate the airways

Upper airway
The tubes in the nose and neck which conduct air into the lung

Virus
A virus is a nonliving small particle that infects cells in biological organisms. Viruses can reproduce only by invading and controlling other cells as they lack the cellular machinery for self reproduction

Wheeze
A whistling sound made by a person who has airflow obstruction when breathing