Xigris (drotrecogin alfa [activated])
Company: Eli Lilly
Approval Status: Approved November 2001
Treatment for: Severe sepsis
Areas: Immunology/Infectious Diseases
| General Information | Clinical Results | Side Effects | Mechanism of Action | Additional Information |
General Information
Xigris is a recombinant version of naturally occurring activated protein C. This medication has been approved for the reduction of mortality in adults with severe sepsis (sepsis associated with acute organ dysfunction) who have a high risk of death. It is available in 5 and 20mg vials, and it is administered by intravenous infusion.
Clinical Results
The approval of Xigris was based on results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial known as PROWESS (Recombinant Human Activated Protein C Worldwide Evaluation in Severe Sepsis), which included 1,690 subjects from 11 countries. Results showed that Xigris reduced the relative risk of death from sepsis with associated acute organ dysfunction by 19.4%. Xigris was administered as a continuous infusion of 24 micrograms/kilogram/hour for 96 hours. The mortality rates were 24.7% among Xigris-treated subjects versus 30.8% among subjects treated with placebo. The response to Xigris was consistent across almost all subject subgroups in the trial, and Xigris increased the odds of survival by 38.1%.
Side Effects
Bleeding is the most common adverse reaction associated with Xigris. In the PROWESS trial, serious bleeding events occurred during the 28-day study period in 3.5% of Xigris-treated subjects and 2.0% of placebo-treated subjects. The incidence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) was 0.2% for subjects treated with Xigris and 0.1% for subjects receiving placebo. In non-placebo controlled trials, ICH has been reported in Xigris-treated subjects with an incidence of approximately 1% during infusion. ICH may be more likely to occur in patients with risk factors for bleeding, including severe coagulopathy and severe thrombocytopenia.
Mechanism of Action
Xigris is a recombinant form of human Activated Protein C. Activated Protein C exerts an antithrombotic effect by inhibiting Factors Va and VIIIa. In vitro data indicate that Activated Protein C has indirect profibrinolytic activity through its ability to inhibit plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and limiting generation of activated thrombin-activatable-fibrinolysis-inhibitor. Additionally, in vitro data indicate that Activated Protein C may exert an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting human tumor necrosis factor production by monocytes, by blocking leukocyte adhesion to selectins, and by limiting the thrombin-induced inflammatory responses within the microvascular endothelium. (from Xigris Prescribing Information)
Additional Information
For additional information on Xigris, please visit the product web site at www.aboutxigris.com.
The FDA drug information shown here is licensed from Thomson CenterWatch. The information provided here is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or pharmaceutical advice which should be sought from qualified medical and pharmaceutical advisers.
