The European Commission has granted marketing authorization for GlaxoSmithKline’s Nucala (mepolizumab) as an add-on treatment for severe refractory eosinophilic asthma in adult patients. As a result, Nucala is now approved for use in the 31 European countries covered by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Nucala is a monoclonal antibody that stops interleukin-5 (IL-5) from binding to its receptor on the surface of eosinophils. Inhibiting IL-5 binding in this way reduces blood, tissue and sputum eosinophil levels. Eosinophils is an inflammatory cell known to be important in asthma. It is administered as a 100-mg fixed-dose subcutaneous injection every four weeks in addition to the patient's normal respiratory medication, which often comprises high-dose inhaled corticosteroids plus additional medicines, including oral corticosteroids.

Source: GlaxoSmithKline