Nucala demonstrates greater reduction in exacerbations and improved asthma control

Positive results from an indirect treatment comparison of the licensed doses of Nucala (mepolizumab), versus benralizumab and reslizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma are published today in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI),

The data showed that in patients with similar blood eosinophil counts, mepolizumab significantly reduced clinically significant exacerbations and improved asthma control compared with both benralizumab and reslizumab, said the drug’s maker, UK pharma major GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK), which on Friday had a set-back for Nucala, with a complete response letter from the US Food and Drug Administration regarding its application for use of the drug in treatment for the reduction of exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), guided by blood eosinophil counts.

Dr William Busse, Professor of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison, Wisconsin, said: “This analysis was undertaken to try to dissect an important clinical question: how can the various anti-IL5 approaches be evaluated? As a consequence, this study helps improve our understanding of the relative efficacy of the three available anti-IL5 pathway directed treatments for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma when grouped by patients’ blood eosinophil counts, which are known to influence treatment effect. Only licensed doses used in clinical practice were included and patients were matched according to blood eosinophil counts and asthma control scores. This approach ensured a robust comparison, which will help inform doctors when making clinical decisions about treating their patients.