Briakinumab

Briakinumab (ABT-874) is a human monoclonal antibody being developed by Abbott Laboratories for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis. As of 2011 drug development for psoriasis has been discontinued in the U.S. and Europe. Briakinumab (ABT-874) is a human monoclonal antibody being developed by Abbott Laboratories for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis. As of 2011 drug development for psoriasis has been discontinued in the U.S. and Europe. Like ustekinumab, the antibody targets the interleukins 12 and 23. The candidate drug was discovered by Cambridge Antibody Technology in collaboration with Abbott. As of November 2009, Phase III clinical trials for plaque psoriasis and a Phase II trial for multiple sclerosis have been completed, and a Phase II trial for Crohn's disease is underway. Briakinumab was compared to etanercept and placebo in several double-blind trials. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) was reduced significantly better than under the comparator treatments. 81–82% of patients under briakinumab, 40–56% under etanercept, and 7% under placebo reached PASI reduction of at least 75%. No head-to-head studies against ustekinumab, the other IL-12/23 inhibitor, are available.