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Profile of certolizumab and its potential in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis

Authors Chimenti MS , Saraceno R, Chiricozzi A , Giunta A, Chimenti S, Perricone R 

Received 31 January 2013

Accepted for publication 27 February 2013

Published 15 April 2013 Volume 2013:7 Pages 339—348

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S31658

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 2



Maria Sole Chimenti,1 Rosita Saraceno,2 Andrea Chiricozzi,2,3 Alessandro Giunta,2 Sergio Chimenti,2 Roberto Perricone1

1
Unit of Rheumatology, Allergology, and Clinical Immunology, 2Unit of Dermatology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; 3Laboratory for Investigative Dermatology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA

Abstract: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory arthropathy associated with psoriasis (PsO). PsA could be considered an enthesal disease because of the link between mechanical stress (entheses) and immunologically active tissue (synovium). Evidence of efficacy of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is supported by reduction of histological vascularity and immune cell infiltrates in synovial tissue after treatment. Certolizumab pegol (CZP) is a polyethylene glycolylated (PEGylated) Fab′ fragment of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds and neutralizes human TNF-α. The PEG moiety of the Fab fragment, markedly increases the half-life of CZP and confers to the drug a unique structure that differs from the other anti-TNF-α agents tested for the treatment of Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, axial spondyloarthritis, nonradiographic spondyloarthritis, PsO, and PsA. In contrast to other anti-TNF-α agents, CZP did not mediate increased levels of apoptosis, suggesting that these mechanisms are not essential for the anti-TNF-α efficacy in Crohn’s disease. As CZP, infliximab, and adalimumab, but not etanercept, almost completely inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin-1 beta release from monocytes, this cytokine-production inhibition may be relevant for drug efficacy. Due to these characteristics, it has been demonstrated in clinical studies that CZP effectively improves signs and symptoms of arthritis and physical function and skin manifestations of PsO, with a safety profile similar to rheumatoid arthritis. This drug can be considered as a valid treatment in patients affected by PsA. The efficacy and tolerability profiles suggest CZP as a suitable antipsoriatic drug in the treatment of PsA.

Keywords: psoriatic arthritis, certolizumab pegol, biological therapies, anti-TNF

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