Itolizumab

Description

This page contains brief details about the drug itolizumab, it’s indication, dosage & administaration, mechanism of action, related brands with strength, warnings and common side effects.

Date of Approval

Itolizumab is an immunomodulatory monoclonal antibody (protein which attaches to a specific target) which was approved for its medical use on January 2013.

Mechanism of Action of Itolizumab

Itolizumab Injection is a biological agent that belongs to the category of medications called monoclonal antibodies. Itolizumab specifically targets and binds to the domain 1 of the human CD6 cells, resulting in significant decrease in the inflammatory mediators. Itolizumab inhibits the availability of T cells without depleting them and eventually lowers the inflammation.

Uses of Itolizumab

Itolizumab Injection has been developed to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also increasingly used to reduce inflammation and cytokine release in COVID-19 patients.

Itolizumab Dosage available

In case of plaque psoriasis and cytokine release syndrome, initial dose is 1.6mg/kg indicated as an intravenous infusion. For plaque psoriasis, a dose of 1.6mg/kg in administered every 2 weeks for 12 weeks, followed by 1.6mg/kg every 4 weeks up to 24 weeks. Approximately 50ml will be administered in the first hour, followed by the remaining dose within the next hour. For patients with cytokine release syndrome, the first infusion of 1.6mg/kg will be initiated at the rate of 25ml/hr in the first hour, followed by 50ml/hr for the next 5-6 hours if well tolerated. Itolizumab is available as single dose vial of injection, intended for IV infusion with each vial containing 100mg Itolizumab (rDNA origin).