Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
 72,216 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Eculizumab (5G1.1), a humanized monoclonal antibody that prevents the cleavage of human complement component C5 into its pro-inflammatory components, is under development by Alexion as a potential treatment for several chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and nephritis [190673], [292328]. In January 2002, a phase IIb trial was initiated for RA [437814]. This trial was ongoing in April 2002, at which time, eculizumab was also in phase II trials for the treatment of membranous nephritis and lupus nephritis, and in earlier stage clinical trials for dermatomyositis and pemphigoid [446377]. The company is also developing a single-chain version of this antibody, pexelizumab, for use in acute cardiovascular indications [188760]. In October 2000, eculizumab was granted Orphan Drug status by the FDA for the treatment of dermatomyositis [385057]. In February 2002, the product received Orphan Drug designation for its use in patients with membranous nephritis [440583]. In September 2001, analysts at US Bancorp Piper Jaffray predicted eculizumab's launch for dermatomyositis and pemphigus in 2003, RA and nephritis in 2004, and chronic heart failure (CHF) after 2006 [426537]. In March 2002, analysts at US Bancorp Piper Jaffray predicted that the product would have peak worldwide sales in RA of US $175 million and US $400 million for nephritis. Sales for the RA indication are predicted to reach US $35 million in 2006, rising to US $110 million in 2008, and US $10 million in 2006, rising to US $50 million in 2008, in the US and the rest of the world, respectively. For the nephritis/other indication(s), sales are pegged at US $50 million in 2006, rising to US $200 million in 2008, and US $15 million in 2006, rising to US $100 million in 2008, again in the US and the rest of the world, respectively [446992].
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PMID:Eculizumab (Alexion). 1218 61

Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies that are identical because they were produced by one type of immune cell, all clones of a single parent cell. This has become an important tool in biochemistry, molecular biology and medicine. The role of complement system in inflammation has been well established. Inflammation is a cornerstone of the post-myocardial infarction. Also, during a heart bypass procedure, the "complement activation" causes an inflammatory response that can lead to side effects such as chest pain, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or death. One such agent which causes complement inhibition is pexelizumab. Pexelizumab (Alexion Pharmaceuticals), a recombinant humanized single chain monoclonal antibody to C5, blocks the conversion of C5 to C5a and C5b-9. Pexelizumab is an Alexion-engineered monoclonal antibody fragment designed to inhibit complement-mediated tissue damage associated with reperfusion injury and inflammation that occurs during open heart surgery. Recent Phase III trials have evaluated the role of pexelizumab in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery and also in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. In the ischemia/reperfusion setting of cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, pexelizumab appears to reduce cardiac enzyme release and possibly mortality. Pexelizumab can also be used as adjunctive therapy to fibrinolysis and primary percutaneous coronary intervention. If approved, pexelizumab would represent not only the first of a new class of therapeutics called terminal complement inhibitors for the reduction of death and peri-operative myocardial infarction in patients undergoing CABG-CPB surgery but also a new approach to improving outcomes for patients undergoing CABG surgery. Present article also includes relevant patents on the topic.
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PMID:Pexelizumab and its role in the treatment of myocardial infarction and in coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a review. 1853 66