Australia's PBS Adds First Biologic for Uncontrolled COPD
核心洞察
Mepolizumab (Nucala) is now PBS-listed for adults with uncontrolled COPD and raised blood eosinophils, as an add-on to optimised inhaler triple therapy.
An estimated 496,000 Australians aged 45 and over were living with COPD in 2022, and studies suggest 20-35% have high blood eosinophils.
Mepolizumab is a monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin-5 (搜索), reducing eosinophil numbers and COPD flare-ups; serious side effects occurred in 1% of trial patients.
NUCALA (mepolizumab) has become the first biologic added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for adults with uncontrolled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (搜索) (COPD). The listing subsidises the cost of the monoclonal antibody for eligible adults with uncontrolled COPD and raised blood eosinophils who continue to experience flare-ups despite optimised inhaler triple therapy.
In 2022, approximately 496,000 Australians aged 45 and over were estimated to be living with COPD, a progressive lung disease that can cause breathing difficulties, cough, chest discomfort and excess mucus. Studies estimate that 20-35% of people with COPD have a high number of eosinophils in the blood, which can increase the risk of exacerbations. In 2023-2024 there were 68,000 potentially preventable hospitalisations for COPD.
NUCALA contains mepolizumab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin-5 (搜索) (IL-5). By blocking the action of IL-5, it reduces the number of eosinophils in the blood and lung tissue and can reduce flare-ups of COPD symptoms. Less serious side effects include headache, injection-site reaction, fatigue, fever, eczema, back pain, pharyngitis, nasal congestion, lower respiratory tract infection, chest infection, upper abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and urinary tract infection. Serious side effects include allergic or allergic-like events and shingles infection, which occurred in 1% of patients receiving Nucala in the COPD clinical trials.