GLIA's Anti Inflamation Program: I finally have gotten around to doing some research on this development program. The program is designed to restrain inflamation by utilizing a humanized MAB to properdin, a protein involved in the alternative complement pathway.
gliatech.com gliatech.com gliatech.com
The attached abstract demonstrates just how useful this can be clinically in coronary bypass surgery. This may be an impressive program that has not been appreciated outside of the company as of yet.
Best regard John de C
Pharmacology and biological efficacy of a recombinant, humanized, single-chain antibody C5 complement inhibitor in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Circulation 1999 Dec 21-28;100(25):2499-506 Fitch JC, Rollins S, Matis L, Alford B, Aranki S, Collard CD, Dewar M, Elefteriades J, Hines R, Kopf G, Kraker P, Li L, O'Hara R, Rinder C, Rinder H, Shaw R, Smith B, Stahl G, Shernan SK Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. jfitch@bcm.tmc.edu
BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) induces a systemic inflammatory response that causes substantial clinical morbidity. Activation of complement during CPB contributes significantly to this inflammatory process. We examined the capability of a novel therapeutic complement inhibitor to prevent pathological complement activation and tissue injury in patients undergoing CPB. METHODS AND RESULTS: A humanized, recombinant, single-chain antibody specific for human C5, h5G1.1-scFv, was intravenously administered in 1 of 4 doses ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 mg/kg before CPB. h5G1.1-scFv was found to be safe and well tolerated. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed a sustained half-life from 7.0 to 14.5 hours. Pharmacodynamic analysis demonstrated significant dose-dependent inhibition of complement hemolytic activity for up to 14 hours at 2 mg/kg. The generation of proinflammatory complement byproducts (sC5b-9) was effectively inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion. Leukocyte activation, as measured by surface expression of CD11b, was reduced (P<0.05) in patients who received 1 and 2 mg/kg. There was a 40% reduction in myocardial injury (creatine kinase-MB release, P=0.05) in patients who received 2 mg/kg. Sequential Mini-Mental State Examinations (MMSE) demonstrated an 80% reduction in new cognitive deficits (P<0.05) in patients treated with 2 mg/kg. Finally, there was a 1-U reduction in postoperative blood loss (P<0. 05) in patients who received 1 or 2 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: A single-chain antibody specific for human C5 is a safe and effective inhibitor of pathological complement activation in patients undergoing CPB. In addition to significantly reducing sC5b-9 formation and leukocyte CD11b expression, C5 inhibition significantly attenuates postoperative myocardial injury, cognitive deficits, and blood loss. These data suggest that C5 inhibition may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for preventing complement-mediated inflammation and tissue injury. |