TY - JOUR T1 - Alemtuzumab (Campath-1H) for Treatment of Refractory Polymyositis JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol SP - 2080 LP - 2082 VL - 35 IS - 10 AU - BEN THOMPSON AU - PAUL CORRIS AU - JAMES A.L. MILLER AU - ROBERT G. COOPER AU - JOHN P. HALSEY AU - JOHN D. ISAACS AU - Consultant Rheumatologist Y1 - 2008/10/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/35/10/2080.abstract N2 - To the Editor: We describe a 48-year-old woman with polymyositis refractory to conventional therapy who responded to alemtuzumab (Campath-1H). This humanized lymphocytotoxic monoclonal antibody recognizes the cell-surface glycoprotein CD52, abundantly expressed by B and T lymphocytes, monocytes, and natural killer cells. Our patient presented in 1996 with seropositive, antinuclear antibody-negative, nonerosive rheumatoid arthritis, which was treated with sulfasalazine 2 g daily. In 1998 she developed generalized muscle pains; investigations showed creatine kinase (CK) was > 5000 U/l, anti-Jo-1 antibody was positive; muscle biopsy and electromyography confirmed an inflammatory myopathy. There was no evidence from this or subsequent biopsies to suggest… ER -