Iscalimab Promising for Sjogren’s Syndrome
The anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody iscalimab showed preliminary efficacy against Sjogren’s syndrome in a proof-of-concept study, according to a Reuters report.
Although Sjogren’s syndrome is a relatively common condition, it is often underdiagnosed, Dr. Peter Gergely of the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research in Basel told Reuters Health by email. “Furthermore, the number of clinical trials, especially when compared to rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, is still limited. Currently, there is no systemic therapy available that has been proven efficacious.”
“We tested iscalimab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits CD40, an important regulatory molecule of the immune system,” he said. “In (keeping) with several lines of published evidence indicating the role of the CD40 pathway in primary Sjogren’s syndrome pathology, our trial suggested the therapeutic potential for CD40 blockade.”