NICE green light for GSK's Nucala

GlaxoSmithKline's Nucala (mepolizumab) will be funded on the NHS in England and Wales for treating patients with severe eosinophilic asthma.

Specifically, Nucala, as an add-on therapy, is recommended as an option for treating severe refractory eosinophilic asthma in adults who have agreed to follow an optimised standard treatment plan, with a recorded blood eosinophil count of 300 cells per microlitre or more.

In this scenario, the person needs to have had at least four exacerbations needing systemic corticosteroids in the previous 12 months, or continuous oral corticosteroids of at least the equivalent of prednisolone 5mg per day over the previous six months, to qualify for treatment.

Nucala will also be funded in patients with a recorded blood eosinophil count of 400 cells per microlitre or more if they have had at least three exacerbations needing systemic corticosteroids in the previous 12 months (so they are also eligible for either benralizumab or reslizumab).

NICE has stipulated that its recommendation is also dependent on the company providing the drug according to the agreed commercial arrangement, details of which remain confidential.