How NUCALA Works for EGPA | NUCALA (mepolizumab)

NUCALA targets eosinophils, but what exactly does that mean?

What are eosinophils?

Eosinophils [ee-uh-sin-uh-fils] are white blood cells that are a normal part of the body’s immune system.

How do elevated eosinophils play a role in EGPA?

When you have EGPA, your blood eosinophil count is elevated. Elevated eosinophils in your blood can lead to inflammation.

NUCALA specifically targets eosinophils

NUCALA is not a steroid like prednisone. It reduces the number of eosinophils in the blood.

It is not fully understood how NUCALA works.

What to expect during your first NUCALA treatment

In the office

If you want to receive your NUCALA injections from your doctor, you can have NUCALA administered in the office.

At home on your time

NUCALA can also be taken at home with the Autoinjector. Your doctor will provide information on how to properly inject at home.

It is important to monitor for serious allergic reactions after injection, either in the office or at home. Sometimes serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can occur hours or days after administration of NUCALA. See risks and side effects.

Approved Use & Safety Info

Approved Use

NUCALA is a prescription medicine for the treatment of adults with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).

Important Safety Information

Do not use NUCALA if you are allergic to mepolizumab or any of the ingredients in NUCALA.

NUCALA can cause serious side effects, including:

allergic (hypersensitivity) reactions, including anaphylaxis. Serious allergic reactions can happen after you get your NUCALA injection. Allergic reactions can sometimes happen hours or days after you get a dose of NUCALA. Tell your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction:
- swelling of your face, mouth, and tongue
- breathing problems
- fainting, dizziness, feeling lightheaded (low blood pressure)
- rash
- hives
Herpes zoster infections that can cause shingles have happened in people who received NUCALA.

Before receiving NUCALA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

are taking oral or inhaled corticosteroid medicines. Do not stop taking your other medicines, including your corticosteroid medicines, unless instructed by your healthcare provider because this may cause other symptoms to come back.
have a parasitic (helminth) infection.
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if NUCALA may harm your unborn baby.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will use NUCALA and breastfeed. You should not do both without talking with your healthcare provider first.
are taking prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of NUCALA include: headache, injection site reactions (pain, redness, swelling, itching, or a burning feeling at the injection site), back pain, and tiredness (fatigue).

How does NUCALA work?