Vitaxin applied molecular evolution.

Vitaxin is a humanized version of LM-609 (an mAb licensed from the Scripps Research Institute and Dr David Cheresh in May 1994, which blocks the integrin receptor, alpha v beta 3) [172038]. It is in phase II trials for the potential treatment of leiomyosarcoma [316471] and is also being studied in phase I trials as an anti-inflammatory and potential rheumatoid arthritis therapy [364031,313665]. Vitaxin and non-peptides are under evaluation for use in the treatment of other diseases in which vitronectin is reputed to play a role, e.g., arthritis, psoriasis and other inflammatory diseases. Patent positions are being established on these and other applications, as well as on the structure and use of the non-RGD proteins [182507].