Nucala Now Approved as Add-On Biologic Therapy 

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Nucala becoming available marks a major breakthrough for COPD care, giving hope to those with regular symptoms. 

United States: Nucala (mepolizumab) is now available as a treatment to add to maintenance therapy for adult patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that is not fully controlled. 

Targeted for Patients with Elevated Eosinophil Counts 

Nucala is the only biologic approved after research focused on patients whose eosinophil levels showed BEC ≥150 cells/µL. Out of every five to ten COPD patients in the US whose condition cannot be controlled fully by inhaled triple treatment and who still have exacerbations, 70 percent have a BEC of 150 cells/µL or higher, as reported by HealthDay. 

Clinical Trials Show Promising Results 

Nucala was approved after the results of two phases, Phase 3, 1:1, double-blind, and similar group studies, MATINEE and METREX. 

In the MATINEE trial presented at the ATS 2025 Congress, people with COPD and a high BEC of 300 and above experienced fewer moderate or severe exacerbations when Nucala was included with their standard triple therapy (0.80 versus 1.01). In the endpoint with specific criteria, there were fewer visits to the emergency department or hospital for COPD exacerbations (rate ratio, 0.65). 

The METREX outcome mirrored results from SELECTION, showing patients given Nucala (rather than a placebo) experienced 38% fewer moderate to severe asthma attacks (1.40 versus 1.71 attacks per year; rate ratio, 0.82).  

A Shift in COPD Management 

Negative side effects were reported in the same way for patients given Nucala and for those on placebo, as reported by HealthDay. 

According to Jean Wright, M.D., at the COPD Foundation, COPD isn’t only a disease; it is a continuous cycle. Managing COPD exacerbations is hard for individuals, even if they take their routine inhaled medications. Having biologics like mepolizumab is giving hope to people with COPD once more.