Study of Nucala (subcutaneous mepolizumab) in eosinophilic asthma published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology- GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline has announced the publication of a meta-analysis in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, which demonstrates that the risk of hospitalisations or emergency room visits caused by asthma attacks was halved (51% reduction p<0.001) in severe asthma patients with an eosinophilic phenotype who received Nucala (100mg fixed dose subcutaneous injection of mepolizumab) or an investigational dose of mepolizumab, compared to placebo and in addition to standard of care.

The meta-analysis looked at data from 1388 patients across four randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials ranging from 24 to 52 weeks in duration, including the pivotal phase III MENSA trial (MEA115588). All patients included in the meta-analysis had frequent exacerbations and were already receiving standard of care. This included high-dose inhaled steroids plus at least one additional controller medicine, which in most patients was a long-acting bronchodilator and in some cases maintenance oral corticosteroids.

The results of the meta-analysis suggest mepolizumab provides an important clinical benefit in reducing major events such as hospitalisations and visits to the emergency room in severe asthma patients with an eosinophilic phenotype already on a background of appropriate standard therapy.

See: "Meta-analysis of asthma-related hospitalization in mepolizumab studies of severe eosinophilic asthma." Yancey S et al. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2016. http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(16)30891-0/fulltext