Glatiramer

Glatiramer acetate is a mix of synthetic polypeptides that includes L-glutamic acid, L-alanine, L-tyrosine, and L-lysine at an average molar fraction of 0.141, 0.427, 0.095, and 0.338, respectively. Since glatiramer acetate is a heterogeneous drug, there is limited information about its physicochemical properties. Originally, glatiramer acetate was designed as a stimulant of myelin basic protein (MBP), a myelin antigen involved in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), to induce experimental autoimmune encephalitis (MS animal model). However, the opposite was observed. Glatiramer acetate exhibits several immunomodulatory effects and reduces the relapse rate of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) by 30%. Along with human interferon beta, teriflunomide, and dimethyl fumarate, glatiramer acetate is a first-line drug for patients with MS. It was approved by the FDA in 1996, and a generic version became available in 2017.

Glatiramer acetate is indicated for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease.