Expert opinion on biological therapy
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Expert Opin Biol Ther · Apr 2011
ReviewPlatelet rich plasma therapies for sports muscle injuries: any evidence behind clinical practice?
At present, no drugs are available to hasten restoration of muscle function after injury. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapies may help athletes by promoting muscle regeneration. ⋯ The field is relevant but under-researched. No PRP formulation has yet displayed proven solid evidence for the stimulation of healing and recovery after sports muscle injuries. Therefore, major issues, including standardization of formulations and application procedures, need to be addressed to inform clinical studies before recommending best practice guidelines.
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In asthma IL-4 and IL-13 have been demonstrated to play major pathogenic roles and therefore their blockade would potentially represent a plausible therapeutic approach. ⋯ Specific anticytokine therapies might in the near future reshape asthma therapy.
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Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly, and there is no disease-modifying therapy yet available. Immunotherapy directed against the beta-amyloid peptide may be capable of slowing the rate of disease progression. Bapineuzumab, an anti-beta-amyloid monoclonal antibody, will be the first such agent to emerge from Phase III clinical trials. ⋯ Bapineuzumab appears capable of reducing the cerebral beta-amyloid peptide burden in patients with Alzheimer's disease. However, particularly in APOE 4 carriers, its ability to slow disease progression remains uncertain, and vasogenic edema - a dose-limiting and potentially severe adverse reaction - may limit its clinical applicability.
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Expert Opin Biol Ther · Jul 2010
ReviewCancer-germline antigen vaccines and epigenetic enhancers: future strategies for cancer treatment.
Immunotherapy holds great potential for disseminated cancer, and cancer-germline (CG) antigens are among the most promising tumor targets. They are widely expressed in different cancer types and are essentially tumor-specific, since their expression in normal tissues is largely restricted to immune-privileged sites. Although the therapeutic potential of these antigens may be compromised by their highly heterogeneous expression in many tumors and low frequency in some cancers, recent developments suggest that tumor-cell-selective enhancement of CG antigen gene expression can be achieved using epigenetic modifiers. ⋯ Chemoimmunotherapy using epigenetic drugs and CG antigen vaccines may be a useful approach for treating cancer.
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Expert Opin Biol Ther · May 2010
ReviewAlbiglutide: a new GLP-1 analog for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Despite the wide array of treatments available, a significant number of patients with type 2 diabetes continue to remain uncontrolled. The discovery of the incretin hormones and their role in glucose homeostasis has brought about a new class of medications called the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs. This new class of medications provides the benefits of weight loss as well as a lack of hypoglycemia. However, the currently available agents require once or twice daily injections. ⋯ The results of ongoing trials will help define the role of albiglutide in treating patients with type 2 diabetes.