02014nas a2200229   4500008004100000245008200041210006900123260001400192300001000206490000600216520131600222653002101538653002401559653001801583653002901601653001901630653001601649100002801665700002201693700001901715856005001734       2016                        eng d00aMepolizumab in Eosinophilic Asthma-Striking a Target that was almost Debunked0 aMepolizumab in Eosinophilic AsthmaStriking a Target that was alm  cMay  2016  a24-260 v23 a<p class="rtejustify">Bronchial asthma continues to be a disease that has high morbidity and a significant proportion of patients remain symptomatic with frequent exacerbations, particularly the eosinophilic variant asthma. Mepolizumab is an anti-interleukin-5 humanized monoclonal antibody that prevents the eosinophilic inflammation in the lungs. The drug was found to reduce the sputum and blood eosinophilic count which was in consonance with its mechanism of action. However earlier clinical trials with the drug proved to be disappointing, due to the lacklustre performance with end points that focussed on the symptoms of the disease and pulmonary function testing. Subsequently trials focussed on selecting patients who had eosinophilic variant asthma with frequent exacerbations who were resistant to even treatment with systemic corticosteroids. The drug was shown to reduce the frequency of exacerbations in pivotal clinical trials besides reducing the dose of steroid requirement. Mepolizumab is to be given via subcutaneous injection once monthly at a dose of 75 to 250 mg. While the drug does meet an unmet need in the population, the long terms effects, most appropriate dose and frequency of usage and its efficacy in other related hypereosinophilic disorders warrants further exploration.</p>
10aBronchial asthma10aEosinophilic asthma10aExacerbations10aHypereosinophilic asthma10aInterleukin 5.10aMepolizumab1 aSriram, Damal, Kandadai1 aGowri, Govindaraj1 aGeorge, Melvin  uhttps://www.ptbreports.org/article/2016/2/2-2