Creative Biolabs has more than 10 years of experience in drug development. We serve customers to help them develop new drugs with the lowest price, the fastest speed, and the highest quality. At present, we focus on the development of drugs for autoimmune diseases, including mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD).
MCTD is a rare systemic autoimmune disease. Some nonspecific symptoms, for instance, Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), arthralgias, and myalgias will appear in the early course of the disease. MCTD is the overlap of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), and dermatomyositis (DM). The diagnosis of MCTD is often a challenge for clinicians, due to the overlap and the number of initial symptoms, with variable courses.
Fig.1 Global vision of autoantibodies target autoantibodies (AAb) according to the type of connective tissue diseases. (Gutiérrez, 2020)
In a short-term study, scientists found MCTD responsive to corticosteroid therapy with a favorable prognosis. All symptoms such as arthritis, anemia, myositis, hepatosplenomegaly, and serositis are relieved. Although most patients accepted only one course of high-dose corticosteroid treatment, their clinical manifestations have significantly improved.
Tab.1 Organ-based management recommendations for more common problems in mixed connective tissue disease. (Kim, 2005)
Mucocutaneous involvement is common in MCTD. RP is the most common problem and usually occurs early in the course of the disease. SLE-like skin rash, oral ulcerations, photosensitivity, and occasionally, hand edema have been treated effectively with topical steroids, oral steroids, and/or hydroxychloroquine. Sclerodermatous-like skin manifestations often are unresponsive to therapy. RP generally is responsive to conventional vasodilator therapies in addition to preventive/ nonpharmacologic measures.
Fever of unknown origin may be the initial presenting manifestation of MCTD. In this setting, it usually was associated with coexistent serositis, myositis, or aseptic meningitis. After excluding infectious etiology, the fever usually resolved following corticosteroid treatment for disease activity in these specific organ systems. Fatigue, arthralgias, and myalgias also are common in MCTD and have been responsive to treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antimalarials, or low-dose prednisone.
Pleuropulmonary involvement is common in MCTD but may be asymptomatic in most cases. Patients who have pleurisy generally have responded well to treatment with NSAIDs and varying doses of corticosteroids. In some patients, pleurisy was self-limited and resolved without treatment.
In a long-term observation, not all patients who have MCTD have a benign clinical course, and that not all clinical features are steroid responsive. The cause of autoimmune diseases is so complex, especially for mixed connective tissue disease. Therefore, it is imperative to develop new drugs. We have a variety of technologies such as antibody development, antibody screening, purification, and detection, which means we can provide high-quality antibodies for global customers. In summary, Creative Biolabs provides you with the best services, including but not limited to:
With more than 10 years of research experience, Creative Biolabs provides comprehensive drug development services for our customers worldwide. If you are interested in our services, please contact us.
References
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