GSK shows benefit of switch from Xolair to Nucala

UK drug major GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) has presented results showing a positive impact of switching to its asthma drug Nucala (mepolizumab) when patients are uncontrolled despite receiving Xolair (omalizumab), a rival therapy marketed by Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX).

The results from the open-label, single-arm study in severe eosinophilic asthma were presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and World Allergy Organization Joint Congress on Monday.

It was investigated whether patients who had been receiving Xolair for an average of 2.5 years and continued to have uncontrolled severe asthma, gained better asthma control following a switch to Nucala.