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Live Program Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Program Number: 26EL-636-L

Educational Track: Scientific
Topics: Blood Donation & Collection, Patient Transfusion
Intended Audience: Hospital Blood Banks, Immunohematology Reference Labs (IRL’s), Managers/Supervisors, Medical Directors, Physicians, Research Scientists, Residents/Fellows, Scientists, Students (MD, MT, SBB)

Faculty
(titles and affiliations at the time of the live program)
Director/Moderator: Krystalyn E. Hudson, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology; Co-Director of the Laboratory of Transfusion Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
Speaker: Kenneth J. Moise, MD, Professor of Women's Health; Director of Comprehensive Fetal Care Center, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

Program Description
Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) arises when maternal IgG alloantibodies cross the placenta and target fetal red blood cells (RBCs), leading to their destruction and/or suppression. While anti-D alloantibodies are the most common cause—and can be prevented with anti-D immunoglobulin prophylaxis—HDFN can also result from other alloantibodies, such as those directed against the Kell blood group system, for which no approved prophylactic therapies currently exist.

An emerging therapeutic approach for HDFN involves targeting the neonatal Fc Receptor (FcRn), a key regulator of IgG homeostasis and transplacental IgG transfer. FcRn protects IgG from lysosomal degradation and mediates its transport across epithelial barriers, including the placenta. Inhibiting FcRn accelerates IgG degradation and may reduce maternal IgG antibody from reaching the fetus, thereby attenuating HDFN severity. This program will review FcRn biology, the current clinical landscape of FcRn-targeted therapies in HDFN, and potential applications of FcRn inhibition in other antibody-mediated hematologic disorders.

Learning Objectives
After participating in this educational activity, participants should be able to:

Explain FcRn functions.
Discuss recent clinical trial findings of FcRn blocking in the context of FcRn.
Identify other hematologic diseases where FcRn blocking may be beneficial.
Explain the pros and cons of FcRn blocking.

Krystalyn E. Hudson PhD

Associate Professor, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Appearances