AL amyloidosis, a rare, progressive and often fatal disease, occurs when a type of immune cell, called plasma cells, produce high levels of an abnormal protein called light chain that misfolds and clumps together to form aggregated amyloid which the body cannot break down. Clumped together, the amyloid can travel through blood vessels, damaging cells and depositing in the heart, kidneys, and other vital organs to cause disease. If left untreated, the deposits can lead to organ failure and death. Current treatment strategies target plasma cells to reduce production of new abnormal light chains, but do not address the amyloid already deposited in vital organs. There is an urgent need for new treatments that improve survival in people living with this disease.

That’s why our team at Prothena is working tirelessly to advance a potential new treatment option for people with AL amyloidosis. Birtamimab*, a potential first-in-class anti-amyloid treatment for AL amyloidosis, is an investigational humanized monoclonal antibody designed to specifically target and clear the amyloid that accumulates and causes organ dysfunction and failure in patients with AL amyloidosis.

Last month, Prothena announced the publication of the mechanism of action, pharmacological characteristics and clinical utility of birtamimab in Leukemia & Lymphoma, an international peer-reviewed journal that publishes research on all aspects of hematological malignancies.

Read the full article in Leukemia & Lymphoma and watch the video below to learn more about the how birtamimab works.

* Birtamimab is an investigational therapy for the potential treatment of Mayo Stage IV AL amyloidosis. It has not been approved for use by any regulatory authority.