Mavrilimumab is a human monoclonal antibody developed to combat rheumatoid arthritis. It is designed to target a section of GM-CSF receptor. GM-CSF is a a proinflammatory cytokine and it is expressed in high levels in many people with rheumatoid arthritis. Now the effect of the antibody is tested in a phase IIb clinical trail of patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis. The study, funded by AstraZeneca/MedImmune and published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, shows Mavrilimumab greatly reduced disease activity, as early as 1 week after treatment initiation. The drug provided a rapid, effective, and well-tolerated potential treatment for the participants. The results were encouraging, providing evidence for the efficacy of the drug mavrilimumab. The study was carried by scientists from Germany, UK, USA, Chile, Poland, Czech Republic, and Argentina. Dr Gerd R Burmester is the corresponding author. Despite progress in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, about half5 of patients do not achieve low disease activity criteria within 12 months of antitumour necrosis factor-α treatment. Earlier studies have identified GM-CSF as a target for autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. In rheumatoid arthritis, GM-CSF drives disease via activation, differentiation and survival of macrophages, dendritic cells and neutrophils. Increased levels of GM-CSF and its receptor have found in many people with rheumatoid arthritis. The antibody drug Mavrilimumab works by inhibiting GM-CSF receptor. And its efficacy was proved in prior studies. In the present study, the researchers further evaluated the efficacy of Mavrilimumab. The study confirms that inhibition of GM-CSF activity is a promising and novel therapeutic approach for patients with heumatoid arthritis. Cusabio offers Recombinant app.
