NICE recommends Nucala for uncontrolled COPD

GSK (LSE: GSK) today announced that NICE has issued draft final guidance recommending Nucala (mepolizumab) for use on the National Health Service (NHS), as an add-on maintenance treatment option for adult patients with uncontrolled COPD with raised blood eosinophils in adults if they are having a triple therapy including an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), a long acting beta2-agonist (LABA) and a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA).

Mepolizumab is administered by subcutaneous injection once every 4 weeks and can be self-injected, or given by a trained caregiver or healthcare professional, the UK pharma major noted. Treatment is used to help reduce the rate  of moderate/severe exacerbations and delay the time to first moderate/severe exacerbation once  initiated.