Treatment of Crohn’s disease with certolizumab pegol

Abstract

Biologic therapies have revolutionized the treatment of Crohn’s disease (CD). Targeting TNF-α with monoclonal antibodies has changed the therapeutic landscape for tackling refractory and complicated CD. Intravenous use of infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody to TNF-α is, however, limited by the occurrence of adverse events, infusion reactions, infectious complications, aggravation of heart failure, the occurrence of neurological demyelinating conditions and induction of rare malignancies. The incremental development of next-generation TNF-α antibodies and binding proteins through antibody-engineering techniques has followed, with the aim of producing efficacious drugs that are less expensive to produce, have a convenient route of administration and have fewer side effects. Certolizumab pegol (CDP870, Cimzia^®) is an engineered humanized anti-TNF-α antibody Fab´ fragment that minimizes the protein component and is conjugated to polyethylene glycol. Clinical studies have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of moderate-to-severe active CD. Reported adverse events in the clinical trial program have been largely of mild-to-moderate severity, and occurred at similar frequencies in the active-treatment and placebo groups. Certolizumab pegol will be a useful addition to the armamentarium of biologic agents that can be used for the long-term treatment of CD.

Keywords::

• certolizumab pegol
• Crohn’s disease
• remission
• response
• safety
• TNF-α

Financial disclosure

Schreiber reports receiving consulting fees from Abbott Laboratories, Bayer, Berlex/Schering, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Centocor, Elan Pharmaceuticals, Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals, Schering Pharma, Schering-Plough and its subsidiary Essex Pharma Solvay, Teva Pharmaceuticals and UCB Pharma; serving as an unpaid consultant for Chemocentryx; receiving lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Abbott Laboratories, Essex–Schering-Plough, Dr. Falk Pharma, Ferring, Genizon and UCB Pharma; receiving grant support from Astra- Zeneca, Berlex/Schering and UCB Pharma; and holding stock in Conaris Research Institute.

Sandborn reports receiving research support and consulting fees from Abbott Laboratories, Centocor and UCB Pharma and participating in continuing medical education events indirectly sponsored by Abbott Laboratories, Centocor and UCB Pharma.

Winter reports receiving consulting fees from UCB Pharma.

de Villiers has no relevant financial interest, including employment, consultancy, honoraria, stock ownership, or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties related to this mansucript.