Lanadelumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody (IgG1/κ light chain). Lanadelumab inhibits the proteolytic activity of active plasma kallikrein. Increased plasma kallikrein activity leads to angioedema attacks in patients with HAE through proteolysis of high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK), resulting in cleaved HMWK (cHMWK) and bradykinin. Lanadelumab provides sustained control of plasma kallikrein activity and therefore limits bradykinin formation in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE).
The monoclonal antibody lanadelumab has been approved in Europe since 2015 as a long-term prophylaxis to prevent attacks in hereditary angioedema.