Biologic
UniProt P00451
Emicizumab
Hemlibra
- Mechanism of action
- Bispecific antibody mimicking Factor VIIIa
- In plain language
- A lab-made antibody with two arms that grabs onto two different clotting factors at once, standing in for a missing clotting protein in people with hemophilia A.
- How it works
- Emicizumab is a humanized IgG4 bispecific monoclonal antibody that simultaneously binds activated factor IX and factor X, physically bridging them in the spatial orientation normally achieved by activated factor VIII, restoring the enzymatic conversion of factor X to Xa needed for effective clotting. Because it substitutes for factor VIIIa's cofactor function rather than replacing factor VIII itself, it works independently of factor VIII inhibitors. It has a long elimination half-life, allowing infrequent subcutaneous dosing.
- Therapeutic applications
- Indicated for routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in adult and pediatric patients with hemophilia A, with or without factor VIII inhibitors.
- Class
- Bispecific antibody
- Therapeutic area
- Hematology
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