Vedolizumab drug levels testing: now available at Sanquin Biologicals Lab
NewsTherapeutic drug monitoring can help the physician in making accurate and patient specific treatment decisions. Sanquin has developed a level test for vedolizumab which will be followed shortly by an anti-vedolizumab antibody test for drug monitoring of vedolizumab in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients.
We developed a sandwich ELISA with anti-vedolizumab antibody and F(ab’)2 fragments of anti-vedolizumab antibodies to detect drug levels. Trough serum concentrations in patients treated with vedolizumab are approximately 27 μg/ml in the first weeks of treatment and around 12 μg/ml later on (1,2). The optimal therapeutic dose for vedolizumab has not been established yet. Our test can measure accurately from 0.04 to 80 µg/mL allowing for a wide range measurement.
Treatment with vedolizumab
Vedolizumab is expected to be widely prescribed to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is used in adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD) when either one or more standard therapies (e.g. corticosteroids, immunomodulators or tumour necrosis factor inhibitors) are not effective (anymore) or when the medication is not tolerated. Vedolizumab can attenuate disease symptoms, induce and maintain remission, and helps to reduce or stop the use of corticosteroids.
How vedolizumab works
Vedolizumab is a humanised monoclonal antibody that binds to α4β7 integrin on the membrane of T-cells. The drug acts specifically in the gut where it reduces or even stops the inflammation. In contrast to other monoclonal antibody drugs, vedolizumab has no systemic immunosuppressive activity. For patients this means that their immune system remains more active, what makes them less vulnerable to potential side effects of biologics such as infections and pneumonia.
Vedolizumab measurement in your patient sample
For your vedolizumab level measurement, please send in 1mL serum either frozen or at 4°C. See information about request forms.
More information
Please phone +31 20 512 3248 or email [email protected].
References
1. Vedolizumab (Entyvio) for Intravenous Injection National Drug Monograph December 2014 VA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services, Medical Advisory Panel, and VISN Pharmacist Executives.
2. Sands BE et al, Effects of Vedolizumab Induction Therapy for Patients With Crohn’s Disease in Whom Tumor Necrosis Factor Antagonist Treatment Failed. Gastroenterology 2014; 147(3):618-627.
