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.