A local start-up company, Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) announced preliminary results from a clinical study into a potential treatment for severe asthma on June 23rd. The trial found no adverse effects to the new treatment, CAT-354, a human anti-IL13 monoclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies are derived from a single cell type, or clone, and all have identical antigen binding sites on target cells. CAT-354 targets cells that produce IL-13, a type of protein called an interleukin. Secreted by cells in the immune system called TH2 lymphocytes, IL-13 causes inflammation of the airways which exacerbates asthma symptoms and is therefore a highly relevant target molecule for asthma treatment.

The trial included 34 mildly asthmatic patients who had the treatment administered intravenously in gradualy increasing doses. There are plans to start a 2nd clinical study, which will take place at the end of 2005 and in which patients wil be exposed to a repeat dose of the allergen.

CAT has developed 100 billion monoclonal antibodies for use in the treatment of disease. The company has partnership projects with biotechnology companies worldwide, and CAT-354 is the first of seven antibodies at various stages of development to make use of this technology.

http://www.cambridgeantibody.com