The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved British drugmaker GSK's asthma drug to treat some patients with a chronic lung disease commonly known as "smoker's lung", the company said on Thursday.

GSK plc GSK announced that the FDA has approved its blockbuster respiratory drug, Nucala (mepolizumab), for a fifth indication. The drug is now cleared to treat certain patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

While not the first biologic to break into the COPD sector – Sanofi and Regeneron took that crown with the approval of their IL-2 and IL-13 inhibitor Dupixent (dupilumab) last year – GSK has high hopes for Nucala thanks to its less frequent dosing and the broader range of patients included in its clinical trials programme.