Infliximab is a monoclonal antibody against TNF-alpha, which is commonly used in the treatment of fistulating peri-anal Crohns disease, Crohns disease generally and ulcerative colitis. In fistulating Crohns disease it has been shown to close fistulas in two thirds of patients and maintain closure in approximately one third of patients. It is a chimeric antibody (meaning a combination of human and mouse antibody). adalimumab is also a TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody used in Crohns disease; it differs from infliximab in that it is constructed purely from human monoclonal antibody. Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of colorectal cancer. It blocks EGFR in patients with wild-type KRAS (about 75% of patients with colorectal cancer). It is not effective in patients with non wild-type KRAS. NICE guidelines on Colorectal cancer (first line) - cetuximab (TA176) limit its use in the United Kingdom to patients with potentially resectable metastatic disease. Bevacizumab is another monoclonal antibody used to treat colorectal cancer, it inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor A, although its use is not currently endorsed in the NICE guidance on Colorectal cancer (metastatic) - bevacizumab (TA212). Ipilimumab is a monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of melanoma and prostate cancer and acts on CTLA-4.
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 08:12:44 +0000
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