Fresenius Biotech has received approval from the Austrian Federal Office for Safety in Health Care for the use of a polyclonal antibody in Stem Cell Transplantations (SCT). The preparation - ATG-Fresenius S - can be used in the indication “conditioning prior to SCT for prevention of Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) after SCT.” The approval is based on proof of significantly fewer GVHD complications following administration of ATG-Fresenius S. Austria is now the fifth country to approve the preparation in this indication, after Germany, Argentina, Portugal and Thailand.

According to the approval, ATG-Fresenius S may be used to treat adult patients with malignant haematologic diseases who undergo SCT involving HLA-compatible, unrelated donors. In such cases, ATG-Fresenius S is administered in combination with standard GVHD prophylaxis. The approval is based on results of a prospective, randomized, multi-centre study of HLA-compatible unrelated SCT with 201 patients. The study compared the efficacy and tolerability of ATG-Fresenius S in combination with standard GVHD prophylaxis versus standard GVHD prophylaxis alone. One-year data were published in October 2009 in “The Lancet Oncology” medical journal (Finke et al.).

New long-term data were published in April 2011 in the “Blood” medical journal (Socie et al.). With regard to acute GVHD grade III-IV, study results showed a significantly reduced incidence of 11.7% vs. 25.5% (p=0.0392) in ATG-Fresenius S and non-ATG-Fresenius S groups, respectively. The extensive chronic GVHD rate was significantly lower in ATG-Fresenius S patients, compared with the control group (12.2% vs. 45%; p<0.0001). The probability of survival without systemic immunosuppression therapy was three times higher in the ATG-Fresenius S group. Relapse of underlying malignant disease, mortality and overall survival were comparable between both groups.

ATG-Fresenius S is a polyclonal antibody that is used for GVHD prophylaxis shortly before stem cell transplantation is performed. The preparation’s mode of action, which mainly targets activated T-cells, includes complement-mediated cytolysis and apoptotic induction of T-cells and antigen-presenting cells.

ATG-Fresenius S prevents the adhesion of T-cells to the endothelium, minimizes T-cell infiltration and blocks numerous signal transmission paths within the immune system. Furthermore, ATG-Fresenius S has a propagating effect on regulatory cells. A direct anti-tumour effect is described in various haematologic tumours.

The polyclonal antibody ATG-Fresenius S was developed in Germany over 30 years ago for the treatment and prophylaxis of acute rejection reactions in the transplantation of solid organs. ATG-Fresenius S has been approved for use in these indications worldwide in more than 45 countries.

GVHD is a frequent complication of stem cell transplantation, which is associated with a high degree of morbidity and mortality. GVHD is an immunological reaction of the donor lymphocytes to the patient’s foreign antigens. The following GVHD risk factors are known: the patient’s age, the degree of kinship between the donor and the recipient, the type of preparation used for stem cell transplantation as well as the source of the graft. Several components contribute to GVHD’s development, among others, tissue damage during preparations for stem cell transplantation, cytokine production and lymphocyte activation. Various immune cells (T-cells, antigen-presenting cells and natural killer cells) are involved in the GVHD mechanism. GVHD frequently causes severe organ and tissue damage, which can become chronic to some extent. GVHD can affect any organ or tissue; the skin, stomach, intestines, liver and the immune system are most frequently attacked. One of the strategies for GVHD reduction is T-cell depletion. ATG-Fresenius S depletes T-cells and consequently represents an important therapeutic advance in GVHD prevention.

Fresenius is a health care group with international operations, providing products and services for dialysis, hospital and outpatient medical care.

Fresenius Biotech, a company of the Fresenius health care group, is focused on the development, marketing and commercialization of biopharmaceuticals in the fields of oncology and transplantation medicine.