Mepolizumab

Mepolizumab
Mepolizumab ?
Monoclonal antibody
Type Whole antibody
Source Humanized (from mouse)
Target IL-5
Clinical data
Pregnancy cat.  ?
Legal status  ?
Pharmacokinetic data
Half-life 19 days
Identifiers
CAS number 196078-29-2 YesY
ATC code L04AC06
KEGG D04923 YesY
Chemical data
Formula  ?
 N(what is this?)  (verify)

Mepolizumab (proposed trade name Bosatria) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that recognizes interleukin-5 (IL-5), and is used to treat certain kinds of asthma and white blood cell diseases.

Recent studies have concluded that mepolizumab may improve exacerbations in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, an adult-onset asthma which represents less than 5% of all asthma.

IL-5 is a chemical messenger in the immune system that stimulates the growth of eosinophils. In eosinophilic asthma, eosinophils are present in the lungs. When mepolizumab was given to people with eosinophilic asthma, it eliminated eosinophils from the bloodstream,and reduced eosinophils in the lungs and bone marrow. Mepolizumab also reduced the number of asthma exacerbations, and reduced the need for corticosteroids.[1] Mepolizumab improved the quality of life, but the improvement was "not clinically meaningful," according to a reviewer.[2] [3]

Mepolizumab is also in development for the management of hypereosinophilic syndrome by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and has received orphan drug designation by the FDA.[4] Mepolizumab has been shown to reduce the need for corticosteroids and improve symptoms in FIP1L1/PDGFRA negative hypereosinophilic syndrome.[5]

References