Alexion creates new class of agonist antibody therapeutics

Alexion Pharmaceuticals has announced results of a preclinical study ofa new class of therapeutic antibodies that accelerated the return to normal platelet levels in an animal model of bone marrow toxicity commonly found in cancer patients. Antibodies in this new class function as agonists that stimulate their cell target, rather than blocking it, the firm noted.

This new class of agonist antibody is designed to selectively bind to the c-Mpl receptor on the surface of platelet precursors and then to stimulate platelet-specific proliferation and differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. In preclinical studies, platelet counts were increased 60% in agonist antibody-treated animals as compared to baseline (p<0.0001).