From the Research
Abelacimab has undergone Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 clinical trials, with the most recent and highest quality study 1 indicating its potential in treating atrial fibrillation and cancer-associated thrombosis. The Phase 1 trial, known as ANT-003, evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of abelacimab in healthy volunteers, while the Phase 2 trial, ANT-004, assessed its safety and efficacy in patients with atrial fibrillation. The Phase 3 program includes multiple trials, such as ASTER, MAGNOLIA, and LILAC studies, which are investigating abelacimab for treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis and stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, as mentioned in 2. Abelacimab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets Factor XI and inhibits its activation to Factor XIa, thereby preventing thrombosis while potentially preserving hemostasis, as described in 3. This mechanism of action differs from traditional anticoagulants and may offer a better safety profile with reduced bleeding risk, as suggested by 4. The drug is administered as a once-monthly subcutaneous injection, which could improve patient adherence compared to daily oral medications. Key findings from the most recent study 1 include a significantly lower incidence of major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding with abelacimab compared to rivaroxaban, with a hazard ratio of 0.38 (95% CI, 0.24 to 0.60) for the 150-mg abelacimab dose and 0.31 (95% CI, 0.19 to 0.51) for the 90-mg abelacimab dose. Overall, the available evidence suggests that abelacimab has the potential to be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with atrial fibrillation and cancer-associated thrombosis, with a favorable safety profile and reduced bleeding risk.