Treating haemophilia A with recombinant blood factors: a comparison.
The mainstay in the treatment of haemophilia A is replacement therapy with repeated infusions of plasma-derived Factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates or recombinant FVIII products. While modern plasma-derived FVIII concentrates have an excellent safety profile, there is an inexorable shift towards the use of recombinant products, especially in affluent countries. Recombinant FVIII products have demonstrated excellent haemostatic efficacy and higher safety with regard to the transmission of blood-borne pathogens. The experience in haemophilia A treatment with five currently available recombinant FVIII products, including the first third-generation product, Advate, which is completely free from human or animal proteins, is summarised. Some unresolved problems concerning the efficacy and assaying of recombinant factors and future perspectives of both recombinant and plasma-derived FVIII products in global haemophilia care, are also discussed.
Ananyeva
Natalya
N
Department of Biochemistry, J. Holland Laboratory for Biomedical Sciences, American Red Cross, Rockville, MD 20855, USA. ananyeva@usa.redcross.org
Khrenov
Alexey
A
Darr
Fred
F
Summers
Robert
R
Sarafanov
Andrey
A
Saenko
Evgueni
E
D000818:Animals; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005169:Factor VIII