C1-Esterase Inhibitor Concentrate Rapidly Relieves Abdominal and Facial Attacks in Patients with Hereditary Angioedema, According to Piv...( Data presented at AAAAI 64th Annu...)

Data presented at AAAAI 64th Annual Meeting also show that C1-INH is

effective treatment for HAE attacks across all body sites

PHILADELPHIA, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) concentrate is a safe and effective therapy that rapidly relieves acute abdominal and facial swelling attacks in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE), a rare and serious genetic disorder, according to data presented today at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) 64th Annual Meeting. Results from the prospective, double-blind International Multi-center Prospective Angioedema C1-Inhibitor Trial (I.M.P.A.C.T. 1), the largest HAE study ever conducted, showed patients receiving C1-INH concentrate had a median time to symptom relief of 30 minutes, versus 90 minutes for patients receiving placebo. Additionally, interim results from I.M.P.A.C.T. 2, also presented at AAAAI, demonstrated for the first time C1-INH replacement therapy's effectiveness in rapidly relieving HAE attacks in peripheral body locations, such as the hands and feet.

HAE is a genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of C1-INH, which is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Symptoms include episodes of edema or swelling in the hands and feet, the face, the abdomen, and/or the larynx. Patients who have abdominal attacks can experience episodes of severe pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting caused by swelling of the intestinal wall. Attacks that involve the face and larynx can result in airway closure, asphyxiation, and, if untreated, death. Diagnosis of HAE requires a blood test to confirm low or abnormal levels of C1-INH. It is estimated that 6,000 to 10,000 Americans -- and perhaps more -- suffer from HAE.

"The findings of I.M.P.A.C.T. 1 confirm that C1-INH concentrate can bring rapid relief compared to placebo in HAE patients who experience facial and abdominal attacks," said Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, FAAAAI, FACP, CCI, Bernstein Clinical R
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