Antibody Therapy

The immune system protects the body from pathogens like bacteria and viruses that cause infection. Antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, are produced by the immune system to help the body destroy these pathogens. Immunoglobulins are proteins which circulate in the blood and provide protection from disease. The main immunoglobulin in the blood and tissues is immunoglobulin G (IgG). For people with compromised immune systems, Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) therapy has proven highly effective. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IGIV) is a highly purified preparation of IgG and is used in the treatment of patients who have no, or very low levels of, antibody production. This may be due to a genetic disorder, or disease, or treatment such as chemotherapy.

Immunoglobulin therapy is used to treat a number of conditions, including:

 

Primary Immune Deficiency (PID): a group of over 100 diseases caused by an immune system that doesn’t function correctly.  For many people with PID, the cause is a lack of antibodies.  IGIV therapy can help restore IgG levels to near normal, helping the immune system to function properly and prevent infections or fight them when they occur.

 

Kawasaki Syndrome: a disease primarily affecting young children, resulting in inflammation of the blood vessels and other tissues, such as heart muscle. About 25% of affected children develop heart problems during the later stages of the illness. A high dose of IGIV is given early in the course of the disease in conjunction with aspirin to prevent coronary artery damage.

 

Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP): a disease that results in a decrease in the number of circulating platelets.  Low levels of platelets can result in bleeding problems.  In children, ITP appears for no obvious reason and usually goes away within a few weeks without treatment.  In adults, ITP is less likely to arise spontaneously and is usually associated with a separate disease affecting the immune system.  Spontaneous remission is less likely with adults and, if platelet counts fall very low or there are bleeding tendencies, then treatment may be needed.  IGIV may be used because it blocks the normal breakdown of platelets by the spleen.

 

B-cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): a form of blood cancer in which too many lymphocytes, a specific type of white blood cell, are found in the body.  These malignant B-lymphocytes cannot produce functional antibodies, leaving the patient susceptible to infection. IGIV therapy can be used to maintain serum IgG levels and prevent serious bacterial infections from occurring in CLL patients.

Antibody or IGIV therapy can make a real difference in the quality of life for people with immune function conditions.  Studies have shown that effective IGIV therapy significantly reduced missed days at school or work and the duration of antibiotic use in people with PI deficiency.¹ Infection rates in people taking IGIV therapy become similar to infection rates of the normal population, reflected in data from the Centers for Disease Control.

 

IGIV therapy is made from donated human source plasma.  Viruses can be transmitted through donated blood products, although it is very rare.  All donated plasma is now tested to screen for most viruses, including HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.  Units suspected of being contaminated with the viruses are not used.  Current viral inactivation procedures also destroy most viruses that are not detected during screening.

 

All IGIV therapies contain levels of IgA, another type of immunoglobulin.  This can cause a problem because it can be a risk for people who may have an allergic reaction to it.

 

People who take IGIV therapy usually take it for their whole life. The infusion of antibodies must be given approximately every three to four weeks to maintain adequate levels of antibodies.

 

There are many different immunoglobulin therapies licensed for intravenous use. There are some differences in the formulations that may make one particular preparation more suitable for a given person. As always, your doctor is the best source of information as to which formulation of IGIV is best for you.  Other treatment alternatives for PID exist and research into the next generation of treatments is in progress.

 

The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.  A licensed healthcare professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

 

^{1 Primary Immunodeficiency: When the Body’s Defenses Are Missing. National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 99-4149. June 1999.}

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