Therapeutic Applications of Monoclonal Antibodies in Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Despite the various therapies available, the use of monoclonal antibodies is a highly specific approach that has only recently been of interest to researchers. The properties of antibodies have led to their use in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS). MS, a chronic inflammatory disease, occurs commonly in young adults. The disease is one of the attractive options for monoclonal antibody therapy because it has no definitive drug for its treatment. Antibodies, by targeting different molecules, have different mechanisms to improve the disease. Treatment with monoclonal antibody has culminated in a clear divergence in paradigm and concentration in MS therapeutics. Application of monoclonal antibody in early inflammatory phases can inhibit or postpone the disability in MS subjects. Ocrelizumab and daclizumab are currently under investigation by late phase III trials, and some other monoclonal antibodies are in the early stages of clinical trials. Monoclonal antibodies are of special structural features (including chimeric, humanized, or fully humanized) as well as specific targets (such as stimulation of signal transduction by binding to receptors, blocking interactions, antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity, complement-dependent cytotoxicity), thus providing various mechanisms of actions during MS therapy. In the present paper, we reviewed different monoclonal antibodies used in MS, their mechanism of action and theirs target molecules.