Imlifidase is a cysteine protease that specifically cleaves human IgG antibodies, facilitating kidney transplantation in HLA sensitized patients. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive and irreversible disease that represents a significant burden for both the individual and healthcare system at large.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 9 references
Imlifidase is a cysteine protease derived from Streptococcus pyogenes which degrades immunoglobulin G (IgG) in a multistep process. In the first step, imlifidase cleaves one of the two IgG heavy chains at the lower hinge leaving the other intact, resulting in a single cleaved IgG molecule. In the second step, the second heavy chain is cleaved yielding one homodimeric Fc fragment and one F(ab’)2 fragment.
This process removes the ability of the F(ab’)2 fragments to participate in Fc-mediated functions including antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Ultimately, by degrading the entire IgG pool, imlifidase reduces donor-specific antibodies (DSA) and allows transplantation to occur.
- Primary indication
- Imlifidase is indicated for desensitization of highly sensitized adult kidney transplant patients with a positive crossmatch against an available deceased donor.Curator reviewed · 1 structured indication
- Formula / weight
- C1575H2400N422O477S6
- First approval
- European Union, 2020
- Also known as
- HMED-IdeS · IdeS · IdeS recombinant
- Brand names
Resolves to
What you can answer from here — as of January 17, 2025
Which other approved drugs treat the same conditions as Imlifidase, and which companies have late-stage candidates in those indications?
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