SLRN-517 (anti-C-KIT)

Chronic Urticaria

Chronic urticaria (CU) is caused by MC degranulation following activation by IgE. It can be spontaneous (idiopathic) or triggered by physical stimuli (e.g., heat). Symptoms include urticaria (hives), itching, erythema, angioedema, headache, fatigue, and pain. About 2 million patients in the US suffer from urticaria at any given time.

CU typically begins in the third to fifth decades of life and lasts 2 to 5 years on average; more severe disease tends to have a longer duration. The goal of therapy is to resolve or eliminate urticaria. Current front-line treatment is second-generation H1 antihistamines; second-line agents include H2 antihistamines, leukotriene receptor antagonist, and first-generation H1 antihistamines. Refractory patients are typically treated with omalizumab or other ISTs.