**Summary**
GSK plc announced on January 5, 2026, that Chinas National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved **Nucala (mepolizumab)** as an add-on maintenance treatment for adults with **chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)** characterized by elevated blood eosinophils (≥150 cells/µL). This approval makes Nucala the **first and only monthly biologic** in China studied in a broad COPD population with this eosinophilic phenotype.
The approval is based on positive results from the **MATINEE** and **METREX** phase III trials, which demonstrated a **clinically meaningful reduction in moderate/severe exacerbations** compared to placebo, including fewer hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Approximately **67% of COPD patients inadequately controlled on inhaled triple therapy** have blood eosinophil counts above 150 cells/µL, highlighting the significant unmet need addressed by this approval.
With **over 100 million COPD patients in China** and a mortality rate exceeding the global average, Nucala offers a novel treatment option to reduce exacerbations and associated healthcare costs. Nucala is already approved in China for severe eosinophilic asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and is also approved for COPD in the US. Regulatory reviews are ongoing in other regions, including Europe.
Nucala is a monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-5 (IL-5), a key driver of type 2 inflammation, and is part of GSK’s broader respiratory portfolio aimed at improving outcomes for patients with asthma, COPD, and other respiratory conditions.
**Key Points**
Nucala approved in China for COPD with elevated blood eosinophils (≥150 cells/µL).
First and only monthly biologic for this indication in China.
Reduces exacerbations, hospitalizations, and emergency visits based on MATINEE and METREX trials.
Addresses significant unmet need in China’s large COPD population.
Part of GSK’s expanding respiratory portfolio.
