Epratuzumab is a humanize

Humanize

Humanize may refer to:*Humanize a 2001 album by the British jazz/funk band Big Boss Man*Humanized antibody, a type of monoclonal antibody...

d monoclonal antibody. Potential uses may be found in oncology

Oncology

Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...

 and in treatment of inflammatory

Inflammation

Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...

 autoimmune disorders, such as lupus (SLE)

Lupus erythematosus

Lupus erythematosus is a category for a collection of diseases with similar underlying problems with immunity . Symptoms of these diseases can affect many different body systems, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart, and lungs...

. The manufacturers in August 2009 announced success in early trials against SLE.

Mechanism

Epratuzumab binds to the glycoprotein CD22

CD22

CD22 or cluster of differentiation-22, is a molecule belonging to the SIGLEC family of lectins. It is found on the surface of mature B cells and to a lesser extent on some immature B cells...

 of mature and malignant B-cells, which it destroys by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity.