Product Information
Registration Status: ActiveNUCALA POWDER FOR SOLUTION FOR INJECTION 100mg is approved to be sold in Singapore with effective from 2017-12-14. It is marketed by GLAXOSMITHKLINE PTE LTD, with the registration number of SIN15396P.
This product contains Mepolizumab 100mg/vial in the form of INJECTION, POWDER, LYOPHILIZED, FOR SOLUTION. It is approved for SUBCUTANEOUS use.
This product is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline Manufacturing S.p.A. in ITALY.
It is a Prescription Only Medicine that can only be obtained from a doctor or a dentist, or a pharmacist with a prescription from a Singapore-registered doctor or dentist.
Description
Mepolizumab is a humanized IL-5 antagonist monoclonal antibody produced by recombinant DNA technology in Chinese hamster ovary cells. It has a molecular weight of approximately 149 kDa. It was approved by the FDA in November, 2015 for the treatment of asthma under the brand name Nucala (marketed by GlaxoSmithKline). Mepolizumab has been investigated in the treatment of severe nasal polyposis, among numerous other conditions.
Indication
Mepolizumab is indicated for add-on maintenance treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma, as identified by blood eosinophils greater than or equal to 150 cells/μl at initiation of treatment or blood eosinophils greater than or equal to 300 cells/μl in the past 12 months, in patients aged 12 years and older. Mepolizumab has been shown to reduce exacerbations of asthma in patients with an exacerbation history
Mechanism of Action
Mepolizumab is an interleukin-5 antagonist (IgG1 kappa). IL-5 is the major cytokine responsible for the growth and differentiation, recruitment, activation, and survival of eosinophils. Mepolizumab binds to IL-5 with a dissociation constant of 100 pM, inhibiting the bioactivity of IL-5 by blocking its binding to the alpha chain of the IL-5 receptor complex expressed on the eosinophil cell surface. Inflammation is an important component in the pathogenesis of asthma. Multiple cell types (e.g., mast cells, eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes) and mediators (e.g., histamine, eicosanoids, leukotrienes, cytokines) are involved in inflammation. Mepolizumab, by inhibiting IL-5 signaling, reduces the production and survival of eosinophils; however, the mechanism of mepolizumab action in asthma has not been definitively established.
Pharmacokinetics
- Absorption
- Following 100-mg SC administration in the upper arm of subjects with asthma, the bioavailability of mepolizumab was estimated to be approximately 80%. Following repeat SC administration once every 4 weeks, there was approximately a 2-fold accumulation at steady state.
- Distribution
- The population central volume of distribution of mepolizumab in patients with asthma is estimated to be 3.6 L for a 70-kg individual.
- Metabolism
- Mepolizumab is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that is degraded by proteolytic enzymes widely distributed in the body and not restricted to hepatic tissue.
- Elimination
Clearance
The population apparent systemic clearance of mepolizumab in patients with asthma is estimated to be 0.28 L/day for a 70-kg individual.
Active Ingredient/Synonyms
Mepolizumab | Mepolizumab |
Source of information: Drugbank (External Link). Last updated on: 3rd July 18. *Trade Name used in the content below may not be the same as the HSA-registered product.