Monoclonal antibody | |
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Type | F(ab')2 fragment |
Source | Humanized (from mouse) |
Target | CD18 |
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Erlizumab, also known as rhuMAb, is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that was an experimental immunosuppressive drug. Erlizumab was developed by Genentech under a partnership with Roche to treat heart attack, stroke, and traumatic shock. [1]
The drug works by blocking a growth factor in blood vessels. [2] Specifically, erlizumab targets CD18 and an LFA-1 integrin. [3] Erlizumab was meant to stop lymphocyte movement into inflamed tissue, thereby reducing tissue damage. [4]
Genentech started clinical trials on the drug in October 1996. [5] During clinical trials, six patients suddenly started coughing up blood, and four of them later died. [2] In June 2000, preliminary phase II clinical trial results showed that erlizumab did not meet Genentech's goals. [1] Genentech's primary goal was for the drug to increase blood flow to the heart within 90 minutes of administering the medicine. [4]
Multiple companies have tried to develop anti-CD18 drugs, but none of them have been successful. [4] Among them are Icos's rovelizumab (LeukArrest), and two drugs developed by Protein Design Labs and Centocor. [4] Although trials in humans have not gone well, the research of CD18 drugs in animals has been encouraging. [4] It is thought that the experimental medicines are affecting the lymphocyte adhesion pathway in humans in unintended ways. [4] One hypothesis is that the endothelial cell barrier function fails when blood supply is low for a prolonged time in humans. [6] If this is true, the drug is not able to stop lymphocyte movement into inflamed tissue. [6]