Treatment Name: Antithymocyte Globulin (ATG, ATGAM®) + Cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®)
- Schedule. The dose of cyclosporine is based upon “ Ideal Body Weight .” Cyclosporine is available as several different preparations such as: Gengraf, Neoral, or Sandimmune.
- Side Effects. In a multi-drug regimen, each medication has unique side effects. ...
- Monitoring
Full Answer
What is antithymocyte globulin (ATG) therapy?
ATG is a drug made of antibodies that suppress the immune system. It is made by injecting horses with white blood cells from humans, called lymphocytes. By injecting the horses with these human lymphocytes, the horse’s immune system produce antibodies directed against these human lymphocytes.
What is ATG therapy and how does it work?
ATG kills the specific cells that are attacking the bone marrow stem cells. This allows the bone marrow to grow and make new blood cells. ATG may be used to treat other bone marrow failure diseases in some cases. ATG is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating moderate and severe aplastic anemia.
What is ATG therapy for aplastic anemia?
It worth noting that some of the main treatment options may also apply to young patients, however they will be treated by experts specialising in paediatric aplastic anaemia. Treatment involving anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) If you're going into the hospital for ATG treatment, this fact sheet is for you
What is ATG used for in bone marrow failure?
Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) therapy is an approved way of treating acquired aplastic anemia. ATG therapy helps in preventing organ rejection against any kind of transplant including kidney or any other organ or stem cell transplant in the body. ATG therapy is sold under several brand names like Atgam etc.
How long does ATG treatment last?
What is the success rate of ATG treatment?
What is ATG used for?
What is the cost of ATG?
Is ATG an immunosuppressant?
How long can you live with bone marrow failure?
How do you administer an ATG?
What is the life expectancy of someone with aplastic anemia?
Does a bone marrow transplant cure aplastic anemia?
What is Thymo infusion?
What is the purpose of ATG?
ATG kills the specific cells that are attacking the bone marrow stem cells. This allows the bone marrow to grow and make new blood cells.
What is the name of the disease that occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys bone marrow stem cells?
myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) Scientists believe that aplastic anemia happens when the immune system attacks and destroys bone marrow stem cells. ATG kills the specific cells that are attacking the bone marrow stem cells. This allows the bone marrow to grow and make new blood cells.
What is the purpose of ATG in aplastic anemia?
paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) Scientists believe that aplastic anemia happens when the immune system attacks and destroys bone marrow stem cells. ATG kills the specific cells that are attacking the bone marrow stem cells. This allows the bone marrow to grow and make new blood cells. ATG may be used to treat other bone marrow failure ...
What is ATG used for?
This allows the bone marrow to grow and make new blood cells. ATG may be used to treat other bone marrow failure diseases in some cases. ATG is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating moderate and severe aplastic anemia.
What is the purpose of anti-thymocyte globulin?
Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) is an infusion of horse or rabbit-derived antibodies against human T cells and their precursors ( thymocytes ), which is used in the prevention and treatment of acute rejection in organ transplantation and therapy of aplastic anemia .
Who makes rabbit anti-T globulin?
A rabbit anti-T lymphocyte globulin made by Neovii Pharmaceuticals is marketed outside of the United States under the name Grafalon.
What is the ATG in rabbits?
Two antithymocyte globulin (ATG) agents licensed for clinical use in the United States are Thymoglobulin (rabbit ATG, rATG, Genzyme) and Atgam (equine ATG, eATG, Pfizer). Thymoglobulin and Atgam are currently licensed for use in the treatment of renal allograft rejection; Atgam is additionally licensed for use in the treatment of aplastic anemia. Both drugs are used in off-label applications, especially as immunosuppression induction agents before and/or during kidney transplantation. A rabbit anti-T lymphocyte globulin made by Neovii Pharmaceuticals is marketed outside of the United States under the name Grafalon.
What is the ATG for horses?
Two antithymocyte globulin (ATG) agents licensed for clinical use in the United States are Thymoglobulin (rabbit ATG, rATG, Genzyme) and Atgam (equine ATG, eATG, Pfizer). Thymoglobulin and Atgam are currently licensed for use in the treatment of renal allograft rejection; Atgam is additionally licensed for use in the treatment of aplastic anemia. Both drugs are used in off-label applications, especially as immunosuppression induction agents before and/or during kidney transplantation. A rabbit anti-T lymphocyte globulin made by Neovii Pharmaceuticals is marketed outside of the United States under the name Grafalon.
Is Atgam a renal allograft?
Thymoglobulin and Atgam are currently licensed for use in the treatment of renal allograft rejection; Atgam is additionally licensed for use in the treatment of aplastic anemia . Both drugs are used in off-label applications, especially as immunosuppression induction agents before and/or during kidney transplantation.
Does ATG cause cytokine release?
ATG use can induce cytokine release syndrome , and has been thought to increase the risk of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD); however, this association may not apply when lower dosing regimens are used. There is some evidence to suggest that inducing immunosuppression with rATG at organ transplantation may create conditions in the patient's immune system favorable to the development of immunological tolerance, but the exact basis for such a development remains largely speculative. Temporary depletion of the T-cell population at the time of the transplant also risks delayed acute rejection, which may be missed and cause severe damage to the graft.
When was the first animal immunization?
The first report of immunizing an animal of one species (Guinea pig) against the immune cells of another species (mouse lymphocytes) was by Élie Metchnikoff in 1899. He reported injecting cells recovered from mouse lymph nodes into Guinea pigs and waiting for the immunization to result in the accumulation of anti-mouse antibodies in the Guinea pig blood. When he subsequently collected serum from these Guinea pigs and injected it into normal mice he observed a marked depletion in the number of circulating mouse lymphocytes.
What is ATG therapy?
ATG therapy helps in preventing organ rejection against any kind of transplant including kidney or any other organ or stem cell transplant in the body. ATG therapy is sold under several brand names like Atgam etc. The mechanism of action of ATG therapy involves specifically targeting some immune system cells like T-lymphocytes, ...
How does ATG therapy work?
ATG therapy helps in lowering the immune response of the body. It further prevents immune system o the body to attack its own bone marrow and it provides a buffer period for the transplanted stem cells to grow and regenerate to raise up the blood count.
What is the mechanism of action of ATG therapy?
The mechanism of action of ATG therapy involves specifically targeting some immune system cells like T-lymphocytes, which tend to attack the bone marrow cells during aplastic anemia phase. This allows transplanted stem cells to rebuild and perform its action of increasing blood count and reach up to healthy levels.
How long does ATG therapy last?
The route of administration for ATG therapy is mainly IV infusion. It is administered into the vein for a duration of 8 to 12 hours daily, for at least 4 days. This schedule might vary depending upon few factors like type of ATG therapy used or condition of the patient etc.
How long does it take for ATG to work?
Although this might take nearly 9 months in some cases and the results tend to be positive in most cases except few rare cases which require another treatment after ATG therapy.
Can you use ATG alone with cyclosporine?
So in such cases, ATG therapy alone or in combination with cyclosporine helps in combating aplastic anemia condition. Although, it might require several outpatient follow-ups to keep the condition under check and immediate treatment for side effects if any arises. In extreme cases, blood transfusions might also be required if ATG therapy alone is ...
Do you need blood transfusions for ATG?
In extreme cases, blood transfusions might also be required if ATG therapy alone is not able to show effective results.
Can immunosuppressive therapy be used for aplastic anemia?
For older patients with acquired aplastic anemia, immunosuppressive drug therapy is the treatment of choice. It is also used for aplastic anemia patients who do not have a matched bone marrow donor. In some cases, it may be used for patients with MDS and PNH.
Does ATG help with anemia?
When used alone, ATG improves blood counts for aplastic anemia patients about half of the time. When used with cyclosporine, ATG improves blood counts in about 7 out of 10 cases. When a platelet growth factor called eltrombopag (Promacta®) is also given, more than 7 in 10 people see improved blood counts. If it works, ATG usually stops the need ...
Does cyclosporine help with aplastic anemia?
Cyclosporine is typically used in combination with ATG to treat acquired aplastic anemia.
What is ATG used for?
Anti-Thymocyte Globulin (ATG) ATG is approved in the U.S. to treat acquired aplastic anemia and to reduce the chance of organ rejection after a kidney or other organ transplant. It may also be used to treat MDS or reduce rejection after a bone marrow transplant. In the U.S., it is also sold under the brand name Atgam®.
How does ATG work?
ATG works by killing specific cells in your immune system called T-lymphocytes — the cells that are attacking bone marrow stem cells in aplastic anemia. This allows an aplastic anemia patient’s bone marrow to rebuild its supply of bone marrow stem cells, causing blood counts to go up.
How long does ATG last?
Usually, ATG is given by IV infusion into a vein for 8-12 hours a day, for 4 days. The schedule depends on your needs, the type of ATG used and doctor or hospital preference. No one schedule has been shown to be better than another.
What is ATG in rabbits?
ATG is created injecting human white blood cells (T cells) into a horse or a rabbit, and extracting the antibodies produced. A recent study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that horse-derived ATG provided a better overall response rate in aplastic anemia patients. In other words, patients who took horse ATG had increased blood counts, and the counts stayed up longer when compared to patients given rabbit ATG. Learn more about this study
What is rabbit injection?
Anti-thymocyte globulin (rabbit) injection is used together with other medicines to prevent and treat the body from rejecting a transplanted kidney. This medicine is an immunosuppressant. When a patient receives an organ transplant, the body's white blood cells will try to get rid of (reject) the transplanted organ.
What is rabbit medicine?
This medicine is an immunosuppressant. When a patient receives an organ transplant, the body's white blood cells will try to get rid of (reject) the transplanted organ. Anti-thymocyte globulin (rabbit) works by preventing the white blood cells from doing this.
How does anti-thymocyte globulin work?
Anti-thymocyte globulin (rabbit) works by preventing the white blood cells from doing this. The effect of anti-thymocyte globulin (rabbit) on the white blood cells may also reduce the body's ability to fight infections.
Does rabbit thymocyte globulin help fight infections?
The effect of anti-thymocyte globulin (rabbit) on the white blood cells may also reduce the body's ability to fight infections. Before you begin treatment, you and your doctor should talk about the benefits of this medicine as well as the risks of using it.
What is an ATG?
Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) is used commonly in patients with severe aplastic anemia and those undergoing renal transplant. Its utility also is being explored in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome, conditioning regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplant, and prophylaxis of graft-versus- ….
What is the purpose of antithymocyte globulin?
Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) is used commonly in patients with severe aplastic anemia and those undergoing renal transplant. Its utility also is being explored in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome, conditioning regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplant, and prophylaxis of graft-versus-host disease.
