PENTAGLOBIN^® BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Pentaglobin^® is the world’s first and only IgM-enriched intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIGMA) preparation.  Owing to its IgM content, Pentaglobin^® is unique in the elimination of infectious pathogens and neutralization of their endo- and exotoxins, far superior to normal IgG preparations (IVIG) ^{1, 2}.  The registered indications of Pentaglobin^® include 1) As an adjuvant treatment of bacterial infections in concomitant with antibiotics, especially in sepsis caused by gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and their toxins  2) Immunoglobulin substitution in immunosuppressed patients and severe secondary antibody deficiency syndrome.  However, Pentaglobin^® has been off-labelly used in a variety of indications, including: 1) Treatment of bacterial-induced severe sepsis and early septic shock 2) Treatment of sepsis in premature infants and neonates 3) Prophylaxis of infection in cardiac surgical patients at high risk of infection 4) Adjuvant therapy for steroid-resistant SARS

In summary, Pentaglobin^® is an excellent additional tool for clinicians who are fighting against diseases with prominent inflammatory and autoimmune features, for example bacterial-induced severe sepsis and septic shock.  It works additionally to standard sepsis therapy and especially with b-lactamase antibiotics.


WHAT IS PENTAGLOBIN^® MOST USEFUL FOR?



1. Trautmann, M., et al. (1998) Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-specific antibodies in commercial human immunoglobulin preparations: superior antibody content of an IgM-enriched product. Clin Exp Immunol 111, 81-90

2. Oesser, S., et al. (1999) Protective capacity of a IgM/IgA-enriched polyclonal immunoglobulin-G preparation in endotoxemia. Res Exp Med (Berl) 198, 325-339