Germany's IQWiG unable to find added benefit for GSK's Nucala

3 May 2016

The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has now examined Nucala (mepolizumab), from UK pharma major GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK), in an early benefit assessment as to whether the drug offers an added benefit for patients in comparison with the appropriate comparator therapy.

Nucala has been approved in Europe and the USA since the end of 2015 for the treatment of adults with severe refractory eosinophilic asthma.

According to the findings, the specifications of the appropriate comparator therapy were not implemented in the two studies of direct comparisons cited by the drug manufacturer; and the indirect comparison conducted by the manufacturer was unsuitable for the benefit assessment. IQWiG therefore sees no hint of an added benefit of mepolizumab in comparison with the appropriate comparator therapy.

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