Safety Aspects of Immunoadsorption in IgG Removal Using a Single-Use, Multiple-pass Protein A Immunoadsorber (LIGASORB): Clinical Investigation in Healthy Volunteers.

Therapeutic apheresis and immunoadsorption are used to deplete efficiently pathogenic autoantibodies in crises in several acute autoimmune driven diseases. This prospective, non-comparative cohort study was conducted at a single study center under standardized conditions in 10 healthy volunteers. Efficient immunoglobulin G (IgG) removal (-86% versus baseline) was achieved after 3 apheresis treatments on 3 consecutive days.

Selective apheresis of C-reactive protein: a new therapeutic option in myocardial infarction?

Background: There is substantial evidence that C-reactive protein (CRP) mediates secondary damage of the myocardium after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The aim of this animal trial in pigs was to specifically deplete CRP from porcine plasma after AMI and to study possible beneficial effects of the reduced CRP concentration on the infarcted area.

Methods: Ten pigs received balloon catheter-induced myocardial infarction.

Specific removal of C-reactive protein by apheresis in a porcine cardiac infarction model.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a possible causative factor of the destructive processes observed during the weeks after myocardial infarction.

Methods: We developed a clinically relevant animal model including the removal of CRP from blood plasma utilizing a specific CRP adsorber and the visualization of the infarct scar in the living animal by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging as a tool to investigate the impact of CRP after acute myocardial infarction.

Results: We describe the facets of this model system and kinetics of clinical blood parameters like CRP and troponin.

Peptide based adsorbers for therapeutic immunoadsorption.

Peptides as ligands for immunoadsorption exhibit several potential advantages over native proteins. Two newly developed adsorbers are based on peptides covalently coupled to sepharose CL-4B. Globaffin is capable of binding immunoglobulins independent from their antigen specificity and thus, applicable in transplant recipients and several antibody mediated autoimmune diseases.