Haemophilia, or hemophilia, is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a longer time after an injury, easy bruising, and an increased risk of bleeding inside joints or the brain. Those with a mild case of the disease may have symptoms only after an accident or during surgery. Bleeding into a joint can result in permanent damage while bleeding in the brain can result in long term headaches, seizures, or an altered level of consciousness.
Haemophilia A is a blood clotting disorder caused by a genetic deficiency in clotting factor VIII, thereby resulting in significant susceptibility to bleeding, both internally and externally. This condition occurs almost exclusively in males born to carrier mothers due to X-linked recessive inheritance. Nevertheless, rare isolated cases do emerge from de novo (spontaneous) mutations.
Haemophilia B, also spelled hemophilia B, is a blood clotting disorder causing easy bruising and bleeding due to an inherited mutation of the gene for factor IX, and resulting in a deficiency of factor IX. It is less common than factor VIII deficiency.
Cancer immunotherapy (immuno-oncotherapy) is the stimulation of the immune system to treat cancer, improving the immune system's natural ability to fight the disease. It is an application of the fundamental research of cancer immunology (immuno-oncology) and a growing subspecialty of oncology.
Prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC), also known as factor IX complex, sold under the brand name Kcentra among others, is a combination medication made up of blood clotting factors II, IX, and X(3-factor PCC) or, when also containing factor VII as does Kcentra, 4-factor PCC. It is used to treat and prevent bleeding in hemophilia B if pure factor IX is not available. It may also be used for reversal of warfarin therapy. It is given by slow injection into a vein. Another product, activated prothrombin complex concentrate or FEIBA, may be used for acquired hemophilia.
Factor VIII is a medication used to treat and prevent bleeding in people with hemophilia A and other causes of low factor VIII. Certain preparations may also be used in those with von Willebrand's disease. It is given by slow injection into a vein.
Ocrelizumab, sold under the brand name Ocrevus, is a medication used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. It is a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. It targets CD20 marker on B lymphocytes and is an immunosuppressive drug. Ocrelizumab binds to an epitope that overlaps with the epitope to which rituximab binds. It is administered by intravenous infusion. The fixed-dose combination ocrelizumab/hyaluronidase is administered by subcutaneous injection.
A bispecific monoclonal antibody is an artificial protein that can simultaneously bind to two different types of antigen or two different epitopes on the same antigen. Naturally occurring antibodies typically only target one antigen. BsAbs can be manufactured in several structural formats. BsAbs can be designed to recruit and activate immune cells, to interfere with receptor signaling and inactivate signaling ligands, and to force association of protein complexes. BsAbs have been explored for cancer immunotherapy, drug delivery, and Alzheimer's disease.
Bi-specific T-cell engager (BiTE) is a class of artificial bispecific monoclonal antibodies that are investigated for use as anti-cancer drugs. They direct a host's immune system, more specifically the T cells' cytotoxic activity, against cancer cells. BiTE is a registered trademark of Micromet AG.
Mogamulizumab, sold under the brand name Poteligeo, is a humanized, afucosylated monoclonal antibody targeting CC chemokine receptor type 4 (CCR4). It is given by injection into a vein.
Recombinant factor VIIa (rfVIIa) is a form of blood factor VII that has been manufactured via recombinant technology. It is administered via an injection into a vein. It is used to treat bleeding episodes in people who have acquired haemophilia, among other indications. There are several disimilar forms, and biosimilars for each. All forms are activated.
Turoctocog alfa is a recombinant antihemophilic factor VIII used for the treatment of and prophylaxis of bleeding patients with haemophilia A. It is marketed by Novo Nordisk. It was approved in the United States, the European Union, and Japan in 2013.
Spark Therapeutics, Inc. is a developer of gene therapy treatments, which treat debilitating genetic diseases. It was founded in 2013 and has been a subsidiary of Hoffmann-La Roche since 2020.
Satralizumab, sold under the brand name Enspryng, is a humanized monoclonal antibody medication that is used for the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a rare autoimmune disease. The drug is being developed by Chugai Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Roche.
Sutimlimab, sold under the brand name Enjaymo, is a monoclonal antibody that is used to treat adults with cold agglutinin disease (CAD). It is given by intravenous infusion. Sutimlimab prevents complement-enhanced activation of autoimmune human B cells in vitro.
Acquired haemophilia A (AHA) is a rare but potentially life-threatening bleeding disorder characterized by autoantibodies directed against coagulation factor VIII. These autoantibodies constitute the most common spontaneous inhibitor to any coagulation factor and may induce spontaneous bleeding in patients with no previous history of a bleeding disorder.
Naxitamab, sold under the brand name Danyelza, is an anti-cancer medication. It is a monoclonal antibody used in combination with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) for people one year of age and older with relapsed or refractory high-risk neuroblastoma in the bone or bone marrow demonstrating a partial response, minor response, or stable disease to prior therapy.
Valoctocogene roxaparvovec, sold under the brand name Roctavian, is a gene therapy used for the treatment of hemophilia A. It was developed by BioMarin Pharmaceutical. Valoctocogene roxaparvovec is made of a virus (AAV5) that has been modified to contain the gene for factor VIII, which is lacking in people with hemophilia A. It is an adeno-associated virus vector-based gene therapy. It is given by intravenous infusion.
Teclistamab, sold under the brand name Tecvayli, is a human bispecific monoclonal antibody used for the treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. It is a bispecific antibody that targets the CD3 receptor expressed on the surface of T-cells and B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), which is expressed on the surface of malignant multiple myeloma B-lineage cells.
Talquetamab, sold under the brand name Talvey, is a humanized monoclonal antibody used for the treatment of multiple myeloma. It is a bispecific GPRC5D-directed CD3 T-cell engager. Talquetamab is a bispecific antibody against two targets: human CD3, a T-cell surface antigen, and human G-protein coupled receptor family C group 5 member D (GPRC5D), a tumor-associated antigen with potential antineoplastic activity. Talquetamab binds both targets, drawing the T cells close to the tumor cells, causing a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response. It is being developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
