Definition

A humanized recycling monoclonal antibody directed against the complement pathway protein C5, with potential complement pathway inhibitory and immunomodulating activities. Upon administration, crovalimab targets and binds to a specific C5 epitope, thereby preventing C5 convertase-mediated cleavage of C5, inhibiting the formation of C5a and C5b, and the C5b6 deposition on membranes. This inhibits C5-mediated signal transduction, the formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC) and the activation of the terminal complement pathway. This results in the prevention and/or inhibition of both complement-mediated inflammation and cell destruction of red blood cells (RBCs) as seen in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). C5 plays a key role in the activation of the complement cascade. Crovalimab is engineered with sequential monoclonal antibody recycling technology (SMART).