Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy and safety of monoclonal anti-Rhesus (anti-D) immunoglobulin (IgG) with polyclonal anti-D IgG in the prevention of maternal Rh-isoimmunization. METHODS: This was a randomized, multicenter, open-label, comparative clinical trial conducted in the obstetric in-patient departments of nine tertiary care hospitals in India. 206 Rhesus (D)-negative women, not sensitized to Rh antigen, and delivering Rh positive babies, received postpartum intramuscular administration of monoclonal or polyclonal anti-D IgG. The main outcome measures were the proportion of subjects protected from Rh-isoimmunization, identified by a negative indirect Coombs test (ICT) result, at day 180 after anti-D IgG administration, and incidence of adverse events. RESULTS: 105 subjects were randomized to the monoclonal group and 101 to the polyclonal group. 94 from the monoclonal group had a negative ICT result and none had a positive ICT result at day 180, whereas 87 from the polyclonal group had a negative ICT result and one had a positive ICT result; the rest (11 and 13 subjects respectively) were lost to follow-up. A total of 5 adverse events were reported (3 in the monoclonal group and 2 in the polyclonal group); only one of these was serious. All the adverse events were judged to be unrelated to the interventional drug. None of the subjects in the monoclonal group developed immunogenic reaction to the monoclonal anti-D. CONCLUSION: The efficacy and safety of the monoclonal preparation of anti-D was comparable to the polyclonal preparation of anti-D when used in the prevention of maternal Rh-isoimmunization.Trial registration Clinical Trial Registration Number: CTRI/2015/09/006172.