A Leicester study has provided further evidence that a new type of medicine could be effectively used to treat patients with a deadly lung condition.
The findings of the study into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) were published in the journal NEJM Evidence on 30 April 2025.
COPD is a devastating long-term condition that affects the lungs, with symptoms including shortness of breath and frequent chest infections. It affects an estimated 1.2 million people in the UK and is responsible for around 30,000 deaths annually, making it one of the leading causes of death in the country.
Among patients hospitalised with the condition, more than 25% will sadly pass away from the condition within one year, and more than half within five years with current treatment.
Inspired by their success of monoclonal antibody therapy in patients with severe asthma, researchers funded by the NIHR Leicester BRC have been investigating whether these ‘biologic’ medicines can also help sufferers of COPD.
The COPD-HELP study, led by Honorary Consultant Physician at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Dr Neil Greening, and Clinical Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Leicester, Chris Brightling, investigated whether mepolizumab could help prevent serious flare-ups of COPD.
Dr Neil Greening explained: “In this trial we tested mepolizumab, which works by reducing inflammation in the lungs. We wanted to see if mepolizumab can help reduce the need for future hospital visits and improve patients’ overall quality of life.
“We invited 238 patients who were hospitalised due to a COPD flare-up, and had a blood eosinophil count of more than 300 cells per microliter to take part in the study.”
The medicine was given by injection once a month. The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which means that some participants received the real medicine, while others received a placebo.
Dr Greening said: “As we’d hoped, mepolizumab led to a marked decrease in the blood eosinophil count. The treatment also reduced the number of moderate and severe exacerbations in these patients by 19% if we compared it to the with the placebo.”
Dr Cara Flynn, Clinical Research Fellow, Academic Clinical Lecturer, at the University of Leicester, said: “This was the first time that this medication was tested in a group of patients who had been hospitalised with COPD, and we were pleased to see mepolizumab reduced the number of exacerbations.
“However, we need to do further work to better understand which patients would get the most benefit from mepolizumab; patients with earlier, less severe disease, or those who are regularly hospitalised and experience severe symptoms.”
An accompanying editorial in the NEJM Evidence by Mark T. Dransfield, M.D. and Daiana Stolz, M.D., concluded: “It seems that mepolizumab very likely has a place in the treatment of a subset of patients with COPD who are at risk for exacerbations. However, there is work to do to better define the target population.”
For the full paper, please visit: https://evidence.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/EVIDoa2500012
The NIHR Leicester BRC is part of the NIHR and hosted by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in partnership with the University of Leicester, Loughborough University and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group.
For more information about the NIHR Leicester BRC visit www.chrisa489.sg-host.com