Efficacy of lanadelumab in angioedema due to acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency

Angioedema Due to Acquired C1-Inhibitor Deficiency Without Hematological Condition: A Multicenter French Cohort Study of 34 Patients

BACKGROUND

Angioedema (AE) due to acquired C1-inhibitor deficiency (AAE-C1-INH) is a rare disease associating recurrent edema of the mucosa and skin. Several underlying diseases have been reported, mainly lymphoproliferative diseases and monoclonal gammopathy. However, 15% to 20% of patients never exhibit such a hematological condition.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze specific features of patients with AAE-C1-INH without a hematological condition.

METHODS

This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of patients with AAE-C1-INH without a hematological condition included from January 1999 to May 2024 in the French national CREAK (Centre de reference des angioedèmes à kinine) registry. The clinical and biological characteristics of patients were detailed and then compared with those of patients with AAE-C1-INH associated with lymphoid hemopathies or monoclonal gammopathy.

RESULTS

Thirty-four patients were included. All patients displayed a functional C1-INH below 50% of the reference value, 26 (76%) also had a decreased C1-INH antigen level, and 26 (76%) displayed anti-C1-INH antibodies. After a median follow-up of 65 months, 4 (12%) patients were in spontaneous complete remission of AE; 15 (44%) were in complete response under long-term prophylactic treatment. Compared with 75 patients with lymphoma-associated AAE-C1-INH, patients with AAE-C1-INH without a hematological condition displayed a higher incidence of anti-C1-INH antibodies and received more frequently symptomatic or prophylactic treatment with a lower remission rate at last follow-up. Clinical and biological features of patients with AAE-C1-INH without a hematological condition were similar to those of 30 patients with monoclonal gammopathy-associated AAE-C1-INH.

CONCLUSIONS

AAE-C1-INH without a hematological condition displays a different clinical and biological presentation from lymphoma-associated AAE-C1-INH. No autoimmune disease was identified. Unlike rituximab, long-term prophylaxis seems to prevent AE attacks among these patients.

New drugs for the treatment of hereditary angioedema

INTRODUCTION

Revolutionary drugs have been developed and approved in the last 5 years for the treatment of hereditary angioedema (HAE). Increased knowledge of HAE pathophysiology has led to the development of innovative drugs for self-administered on-demand therapy and for short- and long-term prophylaxis (LTP). This has rendered possible a personalized approach for patients, allowing greater control of symptoms, better quality of life and reduction in the incidence of adverse effects linked to old treatments.

AREAS COVERED

In this review we have highlighted which treatments are currently approved for HAE and some of the promising future therapies under development.

EXPERT OPINION

While the first generation of approved treatments improved disease control for most patients, innovative therapies may allow individualized action plans and reduce complexity of treatment. Switching therapies due to insufficient efficacy, patient preference or adverse events is becoming progressively feasible and common. New LTPs may lead to the achievement of attack-free remission, allowing us to hopefully reach complete disease control for all patients and further improving their quality of life. In particular, LTPs with longer administration intervals, and on-demand therapies administered via the oral route will have a key role and will set more prominent targets for the upcoming drugs.

Deucrictibant for angioedema due to acquired C1-inhibitor deficiency: A randomized-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Angioedema due to acquired C1-inhibitor deficiency is a very rare but serious disease, with an estimated prevalence of 1 per 500,000 persons. There are no approved therapies to treat or prevent angioedema swelling in patients with this condition. Deucrictibant is a specific, orally bioavailable, competitive antagonist of the bradykinin B2 receptor currently under investigation for hereditary angioedema.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of deucrictibant as acute and prophylactic treatment for angioedema due to acquired C1-inhibitor deficiency.

METHODS

A 2-part, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was conducted. In Part 1, 4 consecutive angioedema attacks were treated with 3 doses of deucrictibant (10 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg) or placebo. In Part 2, deucricibant, 20 mg, or placebo was administered twice daily for 2 treatment periods of 8 weeks.

RESULTS

Three patients were enrolled; of those 3 patients, 1 completed both study parts and 2 completed only Part 2. In Part 1, a reduction in attack severity was observed in the 3 attacks treated with deucrictibant as opposed to an increase in severity of the attack treated with placebo. In Part 2, the individual mean monthly attack rates were 2.0, 0.6, and 1.0 during the placebo period and 0.0 across all patients during treatment with deucrictibant. There were no severe adverse events and 1 self-limiting treatment-emergent adverse event (abdominal pain).

CONCLUSIONS

Deucrictibant has the potential to effectively and safely treat and prevent angioedema attacks due to acquired C1-inhibitor deficiency.

Multicentric Observational Study on Safety and Tolerability of COVID-19 Vaccines in Patients with Angioedema with C1 Inhibitor Deficiency: Data from Italian Network on Hereditary and Acquired Angioedema (ITACA)

Angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency (AE-C1-INH) is a rare disease characterized by recurrent and unpredictable attacks of angioedema. Multiple trigger factors, including trauma, emotional stress, infectious diseases, and drugs, could elicit angioedema attacks. The aim of this study was to collect data on the safety and tolerability of COVID-19 vaccines in a population of patients affected by AE-C1-INH. Adult patients with AE-C1-INH, followed by Reference Centers belonging to the Italian Network for Hereditary and Acquired Angioedema (ITACA), were enrolled in this study. Patients received nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccines and vaccines with adenovirus vectors. Data on acute attacks developed in the 72 h following COVID-19 vaccinations were collected. The frequency of attacks in the 6 months after the COVID-19 vaccination was compared with the rate of attacks registered in the 6 months before the first vaccination. Between December 2020 and June 2022, 208 patients (118 females) with AE-C1-INH received COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 529 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered, and the majority of patients received mRNA vaccines. Forty-eight attacks of angioedema (9%) occurred within 72 h following COVID-19 vaccinations. About half of the attacks were abdominal. Attacks were successfully treated with on-demand therapy. No hospitalizations were registered. There was no increase in the monthly attack rate following the vaccination. The most common adverse reactions were pain at the site of injection and fever. Our results show that adult patients with angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency can be safely vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 in a controlled medical setting and should always have available on-demand therapies.