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]
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Mouse ("-limo-")
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Chimeric + humanized
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Human ("-kinu-")
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Humanized ("-kizu-", "-kinzu-")
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