The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) - the body who approve drugs for use in England - has approved a new drug designed to treat some forms of severe asthma.

Mepolizumab is part of a new generation of drugs aimed at some of the 250,000 people with severe asthma in the UK who don’t respond to current treatments.

 Asthma UK - the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.4 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by the condition - says it hopes it will cut the number of life-threatening attacks and reduce the use of high doses of corticosteroids, which can have unpleasant and harmful long-term side effects.

The drug had previously been rejected for use in England, despite its approval by the Scottish NHS earlier this year.

However Asthma UK presented new evidence to NICE, urging them to review their decision – and today they have chosen to approve mepolizumab for use in England.

Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said: “We are delighted that mepolizumab has finally been recommended for use on the NHS.

"It has the potential to transform the lives of many people with one of the most debilitating forms of asthma.”