Nucala injections for Severe Asthma

Introduction

Nucala (mepolizumab)) is a prescription medicine used to treat chronic severe asthma with a high level of eosinophils (blood cells) that has not responded adequately to asthma medications including high doses of combination medicines such as Advair, Dulera, Symbicort, and Breo. Nucala is an injectable medicine that needs to be given in a physician’s office every 4 weeks. Nucala is a manufactured monoclonal antibody that target eosinophils, one of the major causes of severe asthma. The number of eosinophils can be e determined from a simple blood test. Nucala binds to interleukin-5, a substance in the blood that drive the production of eosinophils. The end result is a dramatic in the number of eosinophils, with rapid clinical asthma improvements.

Indications

Nucala is indicated for people 12 years of age and older with severe eosinophilic asthma that has not responded to other medications.

Benefits

Studies have shown that Nucala quickly and dramatically decreases the frequency of asthma exacerbations, improves lung function, increases the quality of life, reduces the need for oral steroids, and lessens asthma symptoms. This medicine represents a dramatic step forward toward addressing an unmet need in patients would otherwise suffer, have a decreased quality of life, and have side effects from more dangerous medications such as systemic corticosteroids.

Safety

Nucala is one of the safest biologically engineered medicine available, certainly much safer than oral corticosteroids. You should tell you or clinician about altered health history, including any parasitic infections. If you’re pregnant or plan to become pregnant, it is not known whether Nucala will have an adverse effect on the unborn baby.