Mepolizumab: Treatment for Severe Eosinophilic Asthma

Mepolizumab is a monoclonal antibody used for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma.
Category
Drug
Where to get
Prescription only, available in hospitals and pharmacies
Prepared by Lee Cheng, reviewed by Dr. Helena Rodriguez

Mepolizumab FAQ


Image credit: medscape.com

What is mepolizumab used for?

Mepolizumab, sold under the brand name Nucala by GlaxoSmithKline, is a humanized monoclonal antibody used for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma, eosinophilic granulomatosis, and hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). It recognizes and blocks interleukin-5 (IL-5), a signalling protein of the immune system.

Is mepolizumab a biological medicine?

Mepolizumab is a biological medicine. Biological medicines must be prescribed and dispensed by brand name, see Biological medicines and Biosimilar medicines, under Guidance on prescribing; record the brand name and batch number after each administration. For choice of therapy, see Asthma, acute and Asthma, chronic.

Is mepolizumab a recombinant kappa monoclonal antibody?

Mepolizumab is a fully-humanized recombinant IgG1 kappa monoclonal antibody directed against IL-5 produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Mepolizumab was first approved by the FDA on November 4, 2015, as an add-on therapy for severe asthma and marketed under the brand name Nucala by GlaxoSmithKline.

What are the side effects of mepolizumab?

The most common side effects include headache, injection site reactions, and back pain. Mepolizumab is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the maintenance treatment of severe asthma in patients aged six years or older and with an eosinophilic phenotype in combination with other medicines used to treat asthma.

Mepolizumab References

If you want to know more about Mepolizumab, consider exploring links below:

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