Prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of ecallantide for acute attacks of hereditary angioedema

Abstract

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by unpredictable, episodic, incapacitating attacks of well-demarcated angioedema in the absence of urticaria and pruritus. HAE is due to deficient or dysfunctional C1-esterase inhibitor activity, which results in unopposed activation of plasma kallikrein, resulting in increased levels of bradykinin. Ecallantide is a potent and specific plasma kallikrein inhibitor approved for the treatment of acute attacks of HAE affecting any anatomic site. In Phase III clinical trials, subcutaneously administered ecallantide demonstrated significant, rapid and durable symptom relief. Ecallantide was effective for all attack types, including potentially life-threatening laryngeal attacks. The main safety concern is potentially serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis. Ecallantide represents an important treatment option for the management of acute attacks of HAE.

Keywords::

• bradykinin
• C1-esterase inhibitor
• C1-esterase inhibitor deficiency
• ecallantide
• hereditary angioedema
• plasma kallikrein

Financial & competing interest disclosures

LE Stolz is a full-time employee of Dyax Corp. AL Sheffer serves as a principal investigator for Dyax Corp. The EDEMA studies were funded and conducted by Dyax Corp. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.