Monthly Shot Fights Britain's Third-Largest Killer Disease

A medication for asthma has been discovered to significantly reduce the likelihood of hospitalized patients suffering from a chronic respiratory condition.

Studies have demonstrated that administering mepolizumab as a monthly shot considerably diminishes severe symptoms associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Approximately 30,000 people in Britain succumb to COPD annually, rendering it the third most lethal disease in the United Kingdom.

Approximately 1.2 million adults in Britain suffer from this condition, with predictions indicating a 40 percent increase in cases over the coming six years.

This condition arises due to damage and inflammation of the lungs and airways. It often relates to smoking or contact with industrial chemicals or dust; however, some individuals may develop COPD without an apparent cause.

The symptoms consist of a continuous cough, high levels of mucus secretion, and difficulty breathing, potentially interfering with sleep.

At present, patients initially receive inhalers; should they continue experiencing difficulty breathing, they progress to steroid-based tablets.

However, in a study involving 1,200 COPD patients, mepolizumab — which is also called Nucala, a prescribed drug for severe asthma — showed a reduction of breathlessness and chest infections by 20 percent when compared to conventional therapies.

For individuals suffering from chronic bronchitis – a condition characterized by the accumulation of mucus in the lungs – the medication reduced severe symptoms by one-third.

Throughout the year, hospital admissions for patients decreased by 35 percent.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which oversees NHS expenditures, is currently assessing mepolizumab as a potential treatment for COPD. The medication might receive approval by the end of 2026.

Dr. Frank Sciurba, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, who headed the trial, commented, "All doctors can relate to the experience of having a patient admitted to the hospital because of an episode that might have been avoided."

'The trial reveals fresh opportunities in the treatment scenario for COPD patients.'

The research was published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

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