Certolizumab pegol, sold under the brand name Cimzia, is a biologic medication for the treatment of

Crohn's disease Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may be bloody if inflammation is severe), fever, abdominal distension ...

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and hands are involv ...

psoriatic arthritis Psoriatic arthritis is a long-term inflammatory arthritis that occurs in people affected by the autoimmune disease psoriasis. The classic feature of psoriatic arthritis is swelling of entire fingers and toes with a sausage-like appearance. Thi ...

and

ankylosing spondylitis Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis characterized by long-term inflammation of the joints of the spine typically where the spine joins the pelvis. Occasionally areas affected may include other joints such as the shoulders or hip ...

. It is a fragment of a monoclonal antibody specific to

tumor necrosis factor alpha Tumor necrosis factor (TNF, cachexin, or cachectin; formerly known as tumor necrosis factor alpha or TNF-α) is an adipokine and a cytokine. TNF is a member of the TNF superfamily, which consists of various transmembrane proteins with a homolog ...

(TNF-α) and is manufactured by UCB. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.

Medical uses

;Crohn's Disease: On April 22, 2008, the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...

(FDA) approved Cimzia for the treatment of Crohn's disease in people who did not respond sufficiently or adequately to standard therapy. ;Rheumatoid arthritis: On June 26, 2009, the

Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), formerly known as Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP), is the European Medicines Agency's committee responsible for elaborating the agency's opinions on all issues regarding ...

(CHMP) of the

European Medicines Agency The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) in charge of the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products. Prior to 2004, it was known as the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products or Euro ...

(EMA) issued a positive opinion recommending that the European Commission grant a marketing authorisation for Cimzia for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis only - the CHMP refused approval for the treatment of Crohn's disease. The marketing authorisation was granted to UCB Pharma SA on October 1, 2009. ;Psoriatic arthritis: On September 27, 2013, the

U.S. FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food s ...

approved Cimzia for the treatment of adult patients with active

Method of action

Certolizumab binding TNF-alpha homotrimer 5WUX

Certolizumab pegol is a monoclonal antibody directed against

. More precisely, it is a

PEGylated PEGylation (or pegylation) is the process of both covalent and non-covalent attachment or amalgamation of polyethylene glycol (PEG, in pharmacy called macrogol) polymer chains to molecules and macrostructures, such as a drug, therapeutic protein ...

Fab' fragment of a humanized

TNF inhibitor A TNF inhibitor is a pharmaceutical drug that suppresses the physiologic response to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which is part of the inflammatory response. TNF is involved in autoimmune and immune-mediated disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, ...

monoclonal antibody.

Clinical trials

;Crohn's disease: Positive results have been demonstrated in two phase III trials (PRECiSE 1 and 2) of certolizumab pegol versus

placebo A placebo ( ) is a substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like Saline (medicine), saline), sham surgery, and other procedures. In general ...

in moderate to severe active Crohn's disease.Schreiber S. et al., Certolizumab pegol, a humanised anti-TNF pegylated FAb' fragment, is safe and effective in the maintenance of response and remission following induction in active Crohn's disease: a phase 3 study (precise), Gut, 2005, 54, suppl7, A82 ;Axial spondyloarthritis: In 2013, a phase 3 double blind randomized placebo-controlled study found significantly positive results in patient self-reported questionnaires, with rapid improvement of function and pain reduction, in patients with axial spondyloarthritis. ;Rheumatoid arthritis: Certolizumab appears beneficial in those with

Side effects

Significant side effects occur in 2% of people who take the medication.

References

External links

* * {{Portal bar , Medicine Biotechnology TNF inhibitors Immunosuppressants Belgian inventions World Health Organization essential medicines Monoclonal antibodies Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs