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varicella zoster immunoglobulin (VariQuin)

✓ Approved

Prothya Biosolutions · Polyclonal Antibodies · Polyclonal Antibodies

What is varicella zoster immunoglobulin?

varicella zoster immunoglobulin is a polyclonal antibodies developed by Prothya Biosolutions. It is approved for therapeutic indications via injectable (others) or intramuscular (im) injection.

Drug Profile

Brand NamesVariQuin
CompanyProthya Biosolutions
Drug ClassPolyclonal Antibodies, Cell-based Therapies, Antibody
RouteInjectable (Others), Intramuscular (IM) Injection
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Prothya Biosolutions

Therapeutic Indications

varicella zoster immunoglobulin is developed for 1 unique indication across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Infections and infestationsVaricella zoster virus infection✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedFrontiers in immunology2026-10-15

Mycophenolate mofetil as salvage therapy for refractory acute-onset CIDP associated with rheumatoid arthritis: a case report.

Tan Jinhui J, Huang Hai H, Tan Linghua L, Li Bo B

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is an immune-mediated neuropathy that rarely co-occurs with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). When CIDP proves refractory to first-line therapies, management becomes particularly challenging, especially in patients with multiple autoimmune conditions. A 43-year-old Chinese male with a 3-year history of seropositive RA in sustained remission presented with acute progressive quadriparesis, bilateral ptosis, and facial diplegia. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed albuminocytologic dissociation, and nerve conduction studies demonstrated evolving demyelinating features, consistent with a diagnosis of acute-onset CIDP (A-CIDP). The patient responded inadequately to sequential treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, high-dose corticosteroids, and the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) antagonist efgartigimod, experiencing repeated relapses during corticosteroid tapering. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) was subsequently introduced as a steroid-sparing agent at 0.75 g twice daily, enabling further prednisone tapering from 20 mg to 10 mg daily without relapse; MMF was later up-titrated to 1 g twice daily. Under a combined, multi-target immunosuppressive regimen of MMF, prednisone, methotrexate, iguratimod, and hydroxychloroquine, the patient achieved sustained neurological improvement, with prednisone successfully tapered to 10 mg daily by October 2025 and maintained thereafter. By April 2026, only residual mild ptosis persisted, and no infectious complications occurred. This case suggests that MMF-based multi-target immunosuppression may be a therapeutic option for RA-associated, treatment-refractory A-CIDP, potentially enabling successful glucocorticoid tapering even after an inadequate response to a short course of FcRn-targeted therapy.

PMID 42876587
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PubMedFrontiers in medicine2026-10-15

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy for chronic spontaneous urticaria: a network meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.

Chang Mingde M, Wu Linna L, Wang Zhao Z, Wang Yurou Y et al.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common refractory skin disorder impairing quality of life. This study systematically evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapies for CSU, providing evidence for clinical decision-making. Eight databases-CNKI, VIP, WanFang, SinoMed, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science-were searched from their inception to 31 July 2025, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating various acupuncture therapies for CSU. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 tool. Data analysis was performed using R4.4.2 and Stata 18. This study was registered in PROSPERO (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024608056). Ninety-three RCTs involving 7,746 patients were included. Based on surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) analysis, acupuncture combined with autohemotherapy ranked first in improving efficacy [SUCRA = 92.79%, relative risk (RR) = 1.46, 95% credible interval (CrI): 1.19, 1.84]. Moxibustion ranked first in reducing the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score [SUCRA = 99.94%, mean difference (MD) = -9.45, 95% CrI: -12.48, -6.44]. In terms of wheal count, most pairwise comparisons among interventions showed no significant differences, and none of the acupuncture therapies demonstrated statistical superiority over antihistamines. Acupuncture combined with moxibustion ranked first in reducing the severity of pruritus (SUCRA = 96.27%, MD = -1.03, 95% CrI: -1.15, -0.91). Autohemotherapy combined with moxibustion ranked first in reducing the levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) (SUCRA = 93.05%, MD = -36.23, 95% CrI: -55.33, -17.33). The combination of acupuncture, bloodletting puncture and cupping (BLP-C), and antihistamine ranked first in both reducing interleukin-4 (SUCRA = 97.95%, MD = -194.39, 95% CrI: -317.68, -71.10) and increasing IFN-γ (SUCRA = 99.78%, MD = 32.36, 95% CrI: 19.00, 46.49). Acupuncture combined with cupping therapy ranked first in reducing the incidence of adverse reactions (SUCRA = 91.69%, RR = 0.04, 95% CrI: 0.04, 0.24) and relapse rate (SUCRA = 91.79%, RR = 0.02, 95% CrI: 0, 0.09). Acupuncture therapies demonstrate good efficacy and safety in treating CSU. Nevertheless, optimal interventions should be selected based on the characteristics of symptoms, immune profiles, and patient tolerability. These findings should be interpreted cautiously and validated in larger, higher-quality trials due to study limitations. identifier CRD42024608056.

PMID 42876828
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PubMedJournal of medical cases2026-10-14

Herpes Zoster in an Immunocompetent Child Following an Influenza-Like Illness.

Md Yusoff Fitri Amalina FA, Baharudin Noorhida N

Herpes zoster (HZ) or shingles is uncommon in children and is traditionally associated with advancing age and immunocompromised states. However, HZ may also occur in immunocompetent children, in whom diagnosis may be overlooked due to its rarity and broad differential diagnosis of pediatric vesicular eruptions. We report the case of an immunocompetent 11-year-old boy with a previous history of natural varicella infection who presented to a primary care clinic with a painful unilateral vesicular rash over the T5-T6 dermatomes. The rash developed 1 week after an influenza-like illness following close contact with a classmate with laboratory-confirmed influenza. A clinical diagnosis of HZ was made based on the characteristic unilateral dermatomal distribution of the rash. The patient was treated with oral acyclovir on day 3 of the rashes onset and recovered completely within 1 week without complications such as secondary infections or postherpetic neuralgia. This case highlights that HZ should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a unilateral dermatomal vesicular rash in children, even in the absence of recognized risk factors such as immunodeficiency. The close temporal association with the preceding influenza-like illness raises the possibility that transient post-viral immune dysregulation may have contributed to the varicella zoster virus reactivation. Although the causality cannot be established from a single case, this observation generates hypothesis that warrants further investigation in future studies. Early clinical recognition and prompt antiviral therapy in the primary care setting may facilitate recovery and contribute to favorable clinical outcomes.

PMID 42872204
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PubMedCureus2026-10-14

Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Mimicking Acute Retinal Necrosis During Upadacitinib Therapy.

Matsuoka Takahiro T, Kaneko Hiroki H

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis classically occurs in patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection but may also affect non-HIV patients with impaired cellular immunity and can resemble acute retinal necrosis (ARN). A 74-year-old woman receiving upadacitinib 15 mg/day for rheumatoid arthritis presented with decreased vision and a central dark scotoma in the left eye. Widefield montage imaging obtained with the Mirante SLO/OCT platform (NIDEK Co., Ltd., Gamagori, Aichi, Japan) showed temporal to inferotemporal retinal whitening with hemorrhages, vitreous haze, marked perivascular changes, and occlusive vasculitis. Intravenous acyclovir was started for presumed ARN. Aqueous humor polymerase chain reaction subsequently detected CMV DNA at 6.85 × 10⁴ copies/mL, whereas herpes simplex virus and varicella-zoster virus results were negative; HIV RNA was undetectable and peripheral-blood CMV antigenemia was negative. Treatment was changed to oral valganciclovir, and upadacitinib was discontinued. The valganciclovir dose was reduced after renal dysfunction developed. The retinal whitening regressed into atrophic scars without retinal detachment or fellow-eye involvement, but vision remained poor because of macular ischemia and outer retinal damage. This case illustrates that CMV retinitis in a non-HIV immunosuppressed patient may present with an ARN-like phenotype and severe occlusive vasculitis. Early ocular fluid testing can identify the pathogen and redirect antiviral treatment; the temporal association with upadacitinib should not be interpreted as proof of drug-specific causality.

PMID 42871876
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PubMedIndian dermatology online journal2026-10-14

The Association between Vitiligo and Infections: A Systematic Review.

Shamsabadi Shahnam S, Bahri Amirmohammad A, Baridloghmani Bahar B, Khoshmirsafa Majid M

Vitiligo is an acquired depigmentation disease with an unknown etiology. Several theories on its etiology have been proposed, including autoimmune mechanisms, oxidative stress, genetic factors, environmental factors, and lack of melanocyte growth factor. Recent studies have demonstrated a possible correlation between microbial infections and the development or consequences of vitiligo. This study aims to investigate the potential association between microbial infections and vitiligo, focusing on identifying any explainable correlations between these two. A systematic search was performed on all publications evaluating the effects of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal infections on vitiligo using online databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from 2010 up to June 2023 and followed the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) checklist. Viral infections, such as human immunodeficiency virus, varicella-zoster, and hepatitis C, are suggested triggers of vitiligo, potentially through immune dysregulation, cytokine imbalances, the Koebner phenomenon, and altered cellular immunity. Activation of MDA5 and vitamin D deficiency have also been proposed as mechanisms for virus-induced vitiligo. Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can dysregulate CD8+ lymphocytes and activate proinflammatory cytokines, disrupting immune tolerance and triggering or exacerbating vitiligo. Additionally, bystander activation triggered by coronavirus may cause an immune response against the host's melanocytes. Other factors such as Helicobacter pylori infection, endophytic bacterial and fungal infections, and vitamin D deficiency may also contribute to vitiligo pathogenesis by altering cellular immunity and systemic inflammation. Overall, a better understanding of the multiple factors that contribute to vitiligo may help inform more effective treatments and management strategies for this challenging condition.

PMID 42873103
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PubMedJournal of dermatological science2026-10-14

Immunoglobulin deposition and plasma cell infiltration define distinct immunopathological patterns in skin diseases.

Ogawa-Momohara Mariko M, Ozawa Yukihiro Y, Yamashita Yuta Y

Immunoglobulin deposition in the skin is an important diagnostic and etiological feature in many skin diseases. However, the relationship between deposited immunoglobulins and the local presence of antibody-producing cells, such as B cells and plasma cells, remains poorly understood. In several autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and bullous pemphigoid, marked immunoglobulin deposition is observed despite limited B-cell infiltration into the skin, suggesting that the deposited antibodies primarily originate as circulating autoantibodies. In contrast, diseases such as discoid lupus erythematosus are characterized by progressive B-cell infiltration, the formation of ectopic lymphoid tissue, and increased local antibody production within the skin. In other diseases, including dermatomyositis, a mismatch is observed between circulating autoantibodies and the subclasses of deposited immunoglobulins, suggesting the possibility of local immunoglobulin production independent of systemic reactions. In several inflammatory skin diseases, such as scleroderma, hidradenitis suppurativa, and syphilis, marked plasma cell infiltration is observed from the early stages of the disease, despite weak or irregular immunoglobulin deposition. These findings suggest that plasma cells in the skin have functions other than antibody production and may contribute to disease pathogenesis through cytokine production, immune regulation, and interaction with local tissues.

PMID 42875360
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