Pharmaceutical company GSK announced on Wednesday that its novel targeted biological agent Nucala has been approved in China to treat a type of severe asthma.

Nucala will be used for maintenance treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) in adults and adolescents aged 12 and above.

SEA accounts for the largest number of severe asthma cases.

The drug is expected to provide an advanced disease management approach for millions of Chinese patients suffering from this respiratory disease, said the company.

GSK said the approval was given following an independent, Phase III clinical trial involving Chinese patients that yielded positive results.

There are roughly 46 million adults in China who suffer from asthma, with about 6 percent suffering from severe asthma.