Mavrilimumab, a human monoclonal GM-CSF receptor-α antibody for the management of rheumatoid arthritis: a novel approach to therapy

Abstract

Introduction: Mavrilimumab, formerly known as CAM-3001, a GM-CSF receptor-α antibody, is the first human monoclonal antibody to be used in Phase II studies (2011) to modulate the innate immunity pathway targeting GM-CSF signaling in moderate rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Areas covered: Analysis of available clinical trial data on GM-CSF receptor-α antibody and medical literature search using MEDLINE for molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of RA and its treatment forms the basis of this expert opinion review. The mavrilimumab Phase II double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled ascending dose trial demonstrated statistically significant achievement of primary and secondary end points in patients with moderate RA. The trial demonstrated significant clinical benefit in the 100 mg mavrilimumab cohort compared to the placebo group.

Expert opinion: The novel molecular targeting mechanism of mavrilimumab together with its demonstrated clinical efficacy, tolerability and safety profile in Phase II clinical trials in moderate RA, suggests significant potential utility for this drug to induce clinical remission, reduce flares and improve morbidity and mortality in patients with RA.

Keywords::

• GM-CSF
• mavrilimumab
• rheumatoid arthritis

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Oxford University Press, Rheumatology (Oxford) and the authors of the article ‘Neutrophil function in inflammation and inflammatory diseases' (Wright HL et al. Rheumatology 2010; 49(9):1618-31) for their kind permission to use Figure 2.

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