Published in:
01-04-2005 | Adis Drug Profile
Efalizumab
Published in: American Journal of Clinical Dermatology | Issue 2/2005
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▴ Efalizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to CD11a, the α-subunit of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1, and consequently inhibits T-cell activation.
▴ In randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, efalizumab 1.0 mg/kg, administered subcutaneously once weekly for 12 weeks, significantly reduced disease activity in patients with chronic, moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Significantly more efalizumab recipients had a ≥75% decrease in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score [22.4–38.9%] than placebo recipients (2.4–4.9%); an additional 12 weeks of treatment resulted in sustained or increased PASI responses.
▴ The efficacy of weekly subcutaneous efalizumab was maintained during 15 months of treatment.
▴ Efalizumab significantly improved health-related quality of life in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis, with significant improvements in all the Dermatology Life Quality Index domains.
▴ Efalizumab was generally well tolerated in patients with chronic, moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, with few serious adverse events or treatment withdrawals. The most common adverse events were headache, chills, myalgia, pain, and fever; these most often occurred within 2 days of administration of the drug, were most frequent after the first or second dose, and decreased in frequency over time.