Atacicept as an investigated therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, painful and debilitating autoimmune disease. Although the outcome for patients with RA has improved markedly in the past decades, adequate disease control cannot be achieved in a substantial proportion of patients. Since RA is a syndrome with different biological subsets, new drugs with a novel mechanism of action may represent a valuable addition to the current armamentarium.

AREAS COVERED:

This review focuses on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of atacicept . Furthermore, the article both summarises and comments on the drug's efficacy and safety profile in RA patients.

EXPERT OPINION:

Atacicept is designed to neutralise B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and a proliferation-inducing ligand, two cytokines involving B-cell function and survival. Two recent Phase II studies have demonstrated that atacicept was not effective in RA patients with an inadequate response to methotrexate or TNF antagonists. However, atacicept displayed significant biological activity, including reduction of Ig and rheumatoid factor levels. Adverse events were slightly more frequent among patients treated with atacicept compared with placebo. In contrast to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, RA patients receiving atacicept did not show an increased susceptibility to infections. In view of its important impact on immunoglobulin-secreting cells, this drug might be a rational therapy for hematological diseases.

• Authors: Christophe Richez, Marie-Elise Truchetet, Thierry Schaeverbeke, Bernard Bannwarth
• Journal: Expert opinion on investigational drugs (Expert Opin Investig Drugs) Vol. 23 Issue 9 Pg. 1285-94 (Sep 2014) ISSN: 1744-7658 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25078871 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antirheumatic Agents
• B-Cell Activating Factor
• Recombinant Fusion Proteins
• Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13
• TACI receptor-IgG Fc fragment fusion protein

Topics

• Animals
• Antirheumatic Agents (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• B-Cell Activating Factor (metabolism)
• B-Lymphocytes (metabolism)
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Humans
• Recombinant Fusion Proteins (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 (metabolism)