Emerging treatments

Complement activation inhibitors

A number of biologic agents that inhibit various stages of complement activation are being evaluated in patients with GBS.[172] Eculizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to complement component 5, did not reach the predefined response rate in one small phase 2 randomized clinical trial of patients with severe GBS.[173][174]

Other therapies

Small controlled trials of interferon beta-1a, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and cerebrospinal fluid filtration failed to demonstrate significant benefit in patients with acute GBS.[175] [ Cochrane Clinical Answers logo ] One Chinese herbal product, tripterygium polyglycoside, hastened recovery compared with corticosteroids; however, given that corticosteroids are not usually beneficial in GBS, the significance of this finding is unclear.[175] Imlifidase, a cysteine protease derived from the IgG‑degrading enzyme of Streptococcus pyogenes, is being investigated for GBS.[176][177]

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