UNC scientists author editorial on international trials for vasculitis
Ronald J. Falk, MD, professor of medicine and director of the UNC Kidney Center, and Charles Jennette, MD, professor and chair of the department of pathology and laboratory medicine, are international experts in vasculitis and co-authors of the editorial.
Ronald Falk, MD, at left, and Charles Jennette, MD, at right
Media contact: Tom Hughes, (919) 966-6047, tahughes@unch.unc.edu
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Two UNC School of Medicine faculty authored
an editorial in the July 15, 2010 New England Journal of Medicine
commenting on results from two clinical trials using the drug Rituximab
to treat small-vessel vasculitis, a rare
autoimmune disease.
The trials took place in the United States – Rituximab in ANCA-Associated
Vasculitis (RAVE) -- and in Europe -- Rituximab versus cyclophosphamide
in ANCA-Associated renal vasculitis (RITUXIVAS). Both trials
showed that rituximab was effective in inducing a remission, compared
with intravenous cytoxan, used in the RITUXIVAS trial, or oral
cyclophosphamide, used in the RAVE trial.
Rituximab is used to treat non-Hodgkins lymphoma by targeting a
specific protein on the surface of B lymphocytes, a type of immune
cell. A different B-cell protein is the target of vasculitis.
Ronald J.
Falk, MD, professor of medicine and director of the UNC Kidney
Center, and
Charles Jennette, MD, professor and chair of the department of
pathology and laboratory medicine, are international experts in
vasculitis and co-authors of the editorial. In 1988, Falk and Jennette
characterized one of the markers for vasculitis found in blood serum,
and Falk leads the UNC vasculitis program.
In their editorial, Falk and Jennette note, “The practical
implications of these two studies are substantial. Rituximab
might be considered as an option for first-line therapy for induction
of remission of ANCA-associated disease. They conclude, “For now, these
trials lend hope for our patients that targeted therapy may quell this
B-cell driven autoimmune disease.”
Vasculitis develops when blood vessels become inflamed, causing damage
to tissue and organs. At present, the causes of vasculitis are unknown.
A bold marker for the disease found, called ANCA -- antineutrophil
cytoplasmic autoantibody -- has a role in the development of the
illness by activating specific white blood cells, resulting in damage
to the blood vessels.
All of more than 15 types of vasculitis are classified as rare
diseases. In the U.S., a rare disease -- also called an orphan disease
-- is a disease or condition affecting fewer than 200,000
persons.
Falk serves as a medical consultant for the Vasculitis Foundation, the
international group for patients and families. “Rituximab provides
another important therapeutic tool that may improve the lives of some
patients with vasculitis,” he said.
