Frequently asked questions

Find answers to some of the most common NUCALA questions right here

Need more information? Along with the help of your doctor, our nurses* are here to talk to you about NUCALA. Call 844-4-NUCALA (844-468-2252).

*Our nurses do not give medical advice and will direct you to your healthcare provider for any disease-, treatment-, or referral-related questions.

General
At-home administration
Autoinjector
Prefilled syringe

  • What is NUCALA?

    NUCALA treats severe eosinophilic asthma in people who are 6 and older. It’s a prescription medicine your doctor adds to your other asthma medicines for maintenance, not for sudden breathing problems. 

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  • What are the benefits of NUCALA?

    If you and your doctor decide to add NUCALA to your severe asthma treatment, it can help you:

    • Prevent severe asthma attacks. Studies show NUCALA reduced the number of severe asthma attacks by more than half.
    • Reduce the need for oral steroids. NUCALA is NOT a steroid. In fact, it helps reduce your use of steroids like prednisone while maintaining asthma control.
    • Reduce ER visits and/or hospitalizations and the disruptions they cause.

    Your results may vary.

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  • Why do I need to add NUCALA to my other asthma medicines?

    If your asthma is still uncontrolled even with your current high-dose daily medicines, you may not be treating one of the key causes of your kind of asthma: eosinophils. NUCALA is for severe eosinophilic asthma, so it’s designed to target eosinophils. If your doctor has done blood testing and diagnosed you with severe eosinophilic asthma, NUCALA may significantly reduce severe asthma attacks and your use of oral corticosteroids, like prednisone. Together, you and your doctor will decide if adding NUCALA to your other asthma medicines is right for you.

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  • Can I stop taking my other asthma medications while on NUCALA?

    No. NUCALA works with your current asthma medication to reduce your asthma attacks. Don’t make any changes in your severe asthma treatment without asking your asthma specialist.

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  • What are the side effects of 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 receive NUCALA.

    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).

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  • What information should I share with my doctor before taking 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 asthma 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.

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  • What is severe asthma?

    Doctors consider your asthma severe if you take daily high-dose asthma medicines and have a history of severe asthma attacks (which are also called exacerbations). These attacks may have required steroids like prednisone, and you may have gone to the ER or been hospitalized to treat them. The more asthma attacks you’ve had, the more likely you are to have asthma attacks in the future. That’s why it’s important to talk to your asthma specialist about what may be causing your severe asthma, so you can work together to make it better controlled.

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  • How can eosinophils cause asthma to worsen?

    Eosinophils [ee-uh-sin-uh-fils] are white blood cells that are a normal part of your immune system. When there are too many of them in your blood, they can worsen inflammation in your lungs. They are a key cause of severe eosinophilic asthma and can increase your risk for severe asthma attacks.

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At-home administration

  • Who do I contact if I need help with my injection?

    Your healthcare provider will be able to help you with any more questions you might have.

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  • What do I do if I miss a dose?

    You or your caregiver should inject a dose of NUCALA as soon as you remember. Then, continue (resume) your injection on your regular dosing schedule. If you do not notice that you have missed a dose until it is time for your next scheduled dose, then just inject the next scheduled dose as planned. If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.

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  • How do I store my Autoinjector/prefilled syringe?

    Store in the refrigerator between 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C). Keep in the original carton until time of use to protect from light. Do not freeze. Do not shake. Keep away from heat. If needed, an unopened carton can be stored outside the refrigerator at up to 86°F (30°C) for up to 7 days. Safely throw away the Autoinjector/prefilled syringe if the unopened carton is left out of the refrigerator for more than 7 days.

    Autoinjectors/prefilled syringes must be used within 8 hours after you take them out of the carton. Safely throw away if not used within 8 hours.

    Keep NUCALA and all medicines out of the reach of children.

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  • What if I’m going on a trip or vacation and need to take my NUCALA with me?

    Store in the refrigerator between 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C). Keep in the original carton until time of use to protect from light. Do not freeze. Do not shake. Keep away from heat. If necessary, an unopened carton can be stored outside the refrigerator at up to 86°F (30°C) for up to 7 days. Safely throw away the Autoinjector/prefilled syringe if the unopened carton is left out of the refrigerator for more than 7 days.

    Autoinjectors/prefilled syringes must be used within 8 hours after you take them out of the carton. Safely throw away if not used within 8 hours.

    Keep NUCALA and all medicines out of the reach of children.

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  • What should I do if a security seal on the carton is broken?

    Do not use the Autoinjector/prefilled syringe.

    Contact GSK at 1-888-825-5249.

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Autoinjector

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Prefilled syringe

Need more information?

Ask your healthcare provider and watch our how-to-use video.

Watch the video