Efficacy and Safety of Mepolizumab as an Add-on Treatment in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Inclusion Criteria

• COPD diagnosis: Subjects with a clinically documented history of COPD for at least 1 year in accordance with the following definition by the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society
• Severity of COPD: Subjects must present with the following: a measured pre and post-salbutamol Forced expiratory volume in one second/ Forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) ratio of 20 percent and = 500 micrograms (mcg)/day fluticasone propionate dose equivalent plus; LABA and LAMA.

For subjects who are not continually maintained on ICS plus LABA plus LAMA for the entire 12 months prior to Visit 1 use of following is allowed (but not in the 3 months immediately prior to Visit 1); inhaled corticosteroid at a dose >=500 mcg/day fluticasone propionate dose equivalent plus; a LABA or a LAMA and; use of at least one other class of COPD medication (i.e., phosphodiesterase-4-inhibitors, methylxanthines, or a combination of short acting beta2-agonist and short acting muscarinic antagonist).

• Informed Consent: Able to give written informed consent prior to participation in the study, which will include the ability to comply with the requirements and restrictions listed in the consent form. Subjects must be able to read, comprehend, and write at a level sufficient to complete study related materials.
• Gender: Male or Eligible Female; To be eligible for entry into the study females of child bearing potential must commit to consistent and correct use of an acceptable method of birth control from the time of consent, for the duration of the trial, and for 4 months after last study drug administration.
• Age: At least 40 years of age at Visit 1
• Smoking status: Subject with confirmed COPD are eligible to participate independent of their smoking status and smoking history, i.e. current smokers, never smokers or ex-smokers can be enrolled into the study. Current smokers are defined as those with a history of cigarette smoking of >=10 pack-years [number of pack years = (number of cigarettes per day / 20) x number of years smoked (e.g., 20 cigarettes per day for 10 years, or 10 cigarettes per day for 20 years)]. Former smokers are defined as those who meet the definition of a current smoker but have stopped smoking for at least 6 months prior to Visit 1. Never smokers are those that do not meet the definition of a current or former smoker.
• French subjects: In France, a subject will be eligible for inclusion in this study only if either affiliated to or a beneficiary of a social security category.

Exclusion Criteria

• Subjects with Asthma: Current and Former Smokers: Subjects with a current diagnosis of asthma (those with a prior history are eligible if they meet inclusion criteria for a current diagnosis of COPD); Never-Smokers: Subjects with any history of asthma.
• Other respiratory disorders: The investigator must judge that COPD is the primary diagnosis accounting for the clinical manifestations of the lung disease. Subjects with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency as the underlying cause of COPD are excluded. Also, excluded are subjects with active tuberculosis, lung cancer, bronchiectasis, sarcoidosis, lung fibrosis, primary pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung diseases or other active pulmonary diseases. Subjects are also excluded if maintenance use of bi-level positive airway pressure is required for the treatment of respiratory disorder.
• COPD stability: Subjects with pneumonia, exacerbation, lower respiratory infection within the 4 weeks prior to Visit 1.
• Lung resection: Subjects with lung volume reduction surgery within the 12 months prior to Visit 1.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation program: Participation in the acute phase of a pulmonary rehabilitation program within 4 weeks prior to Visit 1. Subjects who are in the maintenance phase of a pulmonary rehabilitation program are not excluded.
• Oxygen: Subjects receiving treatment with oxygen more than 4.0 liters/minute (L/min). While breathing supplemental oxygen, su