The binding of isatuximab to CD38 on multiple myeloma (MM) cells leads to a trigger to several mechanisms leading to direct apoptosis of target cancer cells. The triggered pathways are the caspase-dependent apoptotic and the lysosome-mediated cell death pathway in MM cells.It is used in a combination with dexamethasone and pomalidomide. The drug is thus to treat patients with multiple myeloma. Restrictions for the use of isatuximab is that the patients have to be adults who have at least received two previous treatments with lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor.Isatuximab is currently also being tested in a Phase II trial as a monotherapy against refractory/recurrent systemic light-chain amyloidosis. Efficacy and side effects
Efficacy
A Phase III study of patients with refractory and relapsed MM, who were resistant to lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor, and could not have received daratumumab, another anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody was published in 2019 (ICARIA-MM). The addition of isatuximab to pomalidomide and dexamethasone improved progression free survival to 11.5 months compared to 6.5 months, with an overall response rate of 63%. Side effects
Adverse reactions to isatuximab-irfc may include neutropenia, infusion-related reactions and/or secondary primary malignancies. Of these three the most commonly occurring ones are the infusion-related reactions. Examples of the most frequent symptoms of infusion-related reactions are dyspnea, cough, chills, and nausea, while the severest signs and symptoms included hypertension and dyspnea. Effects on animals
The activity of isatuximab has been researched in mouse tumor models. It has been proven that isatuximab leads to antitumor activity in MM cells.
Cervical effacement or cervical ripening refers to a thinning of the cervix. Background
Cervical effacement is a component of the Bishop score and can be expressed as a percentage.Prior to effacement, the cervix is like a long bottleneck, usually about four centimeters in length. Throughout pregnancy, the cervix is tightly closed and protected by a plug of mucus. When the cervix effaces, the mucus plug is loosened and passes out of the vagina. The mucus may be tinged with blood and the passage of the mucus plug is called bloody show (or simply "show"). As effacement takes place, the cervix then shortens, or effaces, pulling up into the uterus and becoming part of the lower uterine wall. Effacement may be measured in percentages, from zero percent (not effaced at all) to 100 percent, which indicates a paper-thin cervix. Results from a systematic review of the literature found no differences in cesarean delivery nor neonatal outcomes in women with low-risk pregnancies between inpatient or outpatient cervical ripening.Effacement is accompanied by cervical dilation. == References ==