Obiltoxaximab: A Monoclonal Antibody for Cutaneous Anthrax

You should certainly hope that you will never have to use it, but it is still important to know about obiltoxaximab (Anthim), a monoclonal antibody administered by injection, that has been approved for treating inhalational anthrax due to Bacillus anthracis in combination with appropriate antibacterial drugs in adult and pediatric patients.

It is also approved for prophylaxis of inhalational anthrax when alternatives are not available or appropriate (Kaufman, 2016).

Why should dermatologists care? Because the most common type of human anthrax is the cutaneous form. Other forms of human anthrax (gastrointestinal, inhalational, or injectional) are rare (Kajfasz, 2014).

It is expected that the main use of obiltoxaximab is likely to be in the setting of bioterrorism, but it might also be effective for the rare patient in your practice with cutaneous anthrax.

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References

Kaufman MB. Pharmaceutical Approval Update. P T. 2016;41:355-6.

Kajfasz P, Bartoszcze M, Borkowski PK, Basiak W. Retrospective review of the case of cutaneous anthrax-malignant pustule from 1995 in 15-year old girl. Przegl Epidemiol. 2014;68:657-9.