The following is a summary of “Clinical efficacy and safety of switching from eculizumab to ravulizumab in adult patients with aHUS– real-world data,” published in the June 2024 issue of Nephrology by Schönfelder et al.

Eculizumab, the long-standing treatment for atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) has been replaced by ravulizumab, offering less frequent infusions and improved patient well-being.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study comparing the effectiveness and patient preference between eculizumab and ravulizumab for aHUS treatment.

They analyzed medical records from 32 adults with aHUS who were 3 months prior on eculizumab treatment transitioned to ravulizumab, assessing the safety and effectiveness of the treatment change in a real-world setting. Evaluations of hematologic parameters, kidney function, concurrent therapy, and aHUS-associated events were conducted starting 3 months before and up to 12 months after transitioning to ravulizumab.

The result showed the average patient administering ravulizumab was 41 years old (19 to 78 years old), and over half of the patients (59%) were female. Genetic testing showed a known genetic abnormality in 72% of the patients. All patients had previously been on eculizumab for a median of 20 months (3 to 120 months) before switching to ravulizumab. Additionally, during the 12 months of ravulizumab treatment, none of the patients experienced new episodes of aHUS or a decline in kidney function.

Investigators concluded that switching adult patients with aHUS from eculizumab to ravulizumab was safe and effective, maintaining good blood cell counts and kidney function.

Source: bmcnephrol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12882-024-03638-3