M NEXUS INSIGHT
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What is apitegromab?

By Daniel Moore

What is apitegromab?

Background: Apitegromab (SRK-015) is a fully human, high-affinity anti-proMyostatin monoclonal antibody that binds to human proMyostatin and latent myostatin and inhibits the tolloid-mediated proteolysis step for myostatin activation.

How do myostatin inhibitors work?

Myostatin, produced through instructions from the MSTN gene, regulates muscle cell growth and differentiation. Myostatin inhibitors are a group of molecules that block myostatin, and may work to improve muscle mass and strength in children with muscle-wasting diseases.

How does myostatin inhibit muscle growth?

Myostatin inhibits both myoblast cell proliferation and differentiation, reducing fiber number during muscle formation. McCroskery et al. demonstrated that myostatin is expressed in satellite cell and adult myoblast cell using muscle tissue from normal and myostatin-null mice.

How is Apitegromab administered?

How is apitegromab given? Apitegromab is given though an intravenous infusion (directly into a vein over a period of time). In the SAPPHIRE study and the already completed Phase 2 TOPAZ study, apitegromab is infused once every 4 weeks.

Is myostatin inhibitor safe?

Myostatin inhibitors are relevant as potential therapies for muscle-wasting diseases and muscle weakness in humans and animals. Currently, there are no commercial myostatin inhibitors for agriculture or biomedical purposes because the safest and most effective option has yet to be identified.

What drugs block myostatin?

Stamulumab is a G1 immunoglobulin antibody which binds to myostatin and prevents it from binding to its target site, thus inhibiting the growth-limiting action of myostatin on muscle tissue.

What is myostatin good for?

Myostatin (MSTN), also referred to as growth and differentiation factor-8, is a protein secreted in muscle tissues. Researchers believe that its primary function is in negatively regulating muscle because a mutation in its coding region can lead to the famous double muscle trait in cattle.

What happens if you have too much myostatin?

Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy is a rare condition characterized by reduced body fat and increased muscle size. Affected individuals have up to twice the usual amount of muscle mass in their bodies. They also tend to have increased muscle strength.

How do I lower myostatin levels?

Myostatin decreases with aerobic exercise and associates with insulin resistance.

Can you turn off myostatin?

The only known way to block myostatin is through medical interventions like gene therapy and myostatin inhibitor drugs. However, you can reduce myostatin production through exercise. High-intensity resistance training – such as lifting weights or doing push-ups – can help.

Is myostatin good or bad?

Myostatin is a TGF-β family member that has been identified as a negative muscle regulator. Myostatin null mutant mice and “double-muscled” cattle with spontaneous mutations in the myostatin gene have significantly greater muscle mass due to both muscle hypertrophy and hyperplasia.