Obiltoxaximab: Adding to the Treatment Arsenal for Bacillus anthracis Infection

Objective: To review the safety and efficacy of obiltoxaximab, a monoclonal antibody indicated for the treatment of Bacillus anthracis inhalational anthrax in adult and pediatric patients.

Data sources: A MEDLINE (1946 to May, week 1, 2017) and EMBASE (1980 to 2017, week 19) search was performed using the search terms obiltoxaximab OR ETI-204 OR Anthim AND anthrax.

Study selection and data extraction: All English-language clinical studies in both animal and human models assessing the safety and efficacy of obiltoxaximab were included.

Data synthesis: A total of 5 articles have been published on clinical studies examining safety and efficacy of obiltoxaximab. Efficacy studies in 2 animal models, New Zealand White rabbits and cynomolgus macaques, showed higher rates of survival post-anthrax exposure when obiltoxaximab was administered. Safety studies in healthy human volunteers showed that it was tolerated, with a relatively low incidence of adverse events.

Conclusion: Based on these clinical studies and the implausibility of conducting a trial in infected individuals, obiltoxaximab is a safe and efficacious addition to the anthrax antitoxin armamentarium to protect against and treat inhalational anthrax.

clinical pharmacology; drug information; infectious disease; literature evaluation; monoclonal antibodies.