Abstract
Conventional clotting factor concentrates have, until recently, been “of intermediate purity,” containing less than 1% of the coagulation factor, and greater than 99% extraneous plasma proteins such as fibrinogen, fibronectin, gamma globulins, and traces of many others. We report here the results of a new factor VIII concentrate that is purified from human plasma using a mouse monoclonal antibody to factor VIII:vWF in an affinity chromatography system. The resultant concentrate has an activity of between 3,000 and 5,000 U/mg protein before albumin is added as a stabilizer. Seven patients with severe hemophilia A and no inhibitor who were positive for antibody to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been treated solely with this concentrate for over 24 months. Factor usage in these patients has ranged from 611 U/kg/yr to 2,022 U/kg/yr. These patients have infused approximately once per week on the average, most often for joint hemorrhages. The efficacy of the concentrate is excellent. No allergic reactions have occurred and no factor VIII antibodies have developed. In these seven patients mean CD4 counts stabilized (856 +/- 619 at screen v 778 +/- 686 at 24 months) and there was reversal of skin test anergy. In a comparison group on conventional intermediate purity concentrate chosen retrospectively decreases in mean CD4 cell counts similarly did not occur. However, the number of the comparison patients who were anergic increased over the course of the study. These observations indicate the possibility that more highly purified concentrates may stabilize immune function in HIV seropositive patients.
