By Marie Rosenthal
Crizanlizumab, an experimental antibody, was found to decrease the number of sickle cell–related pain crises (SCPC) by 45.3% compared with placebo in patients with or without hydroxyurea therapy (N Engl J Med 2017;376:429-439).
Sickle cell disease is characterized by recurrent episodes of “sickle crisis,” also known as vaso-occlusive crisis, in which a patient’s red blood cells change shape, clump together and block the flow of blood in small vessels,