anti-CD20 Therapy Research Articles

Pre-Clinical Assessment of SAR442257, a CD38/CD3xCD28 Trispecific T Cell Engager in Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma.

Current treatment strategies for multiple myeloma (MM) are highly effective, but most patients develop relapsed/refractory disease (RRMM). The anti-CD38/CD3xCD28 trispecific antibody SAR442257 targets CD38 and CD28 on MM cells and co-stimulates CD3 and CD28 on T cells (TCs). We evaluated different key aspects such as MM cells and T cells avidity interaction, tumor killing, and biomarkers for drug potency in three distinct cohorts of RRMM patients. We found that a significantly higher proportion of RRMM patients (86%) exhibited aberrant co-expression of CD28 compared to newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) patients (19%). Furthermore, SAR442257 mediated significantly higher TC activation, resulting in enhanced MM killing compared to bispecific functional knockout controls for all relapse cohorts (Pearson's r = 0.7). Finally, patients refractory to anti-CD38 therapy had higher levels of TGF-β (up to 20-fold) compared to other cohorts. This can limit the activity of SAR442257. Vactoserib, a TGF-β inhibitor, was able to mitigate this effect and restore sensitivity to SAR442257 in these experiments. In conclusion, SAR442257 has high potential for enhancing TC cytotoxicity by co-targeting CD38 and CD28 on MM and CD3/CD28 on T cells.

Clinical and humoral response after SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection in patients receiving immunosuppressant therapy

BackgroundDespite impaired humoral responses in patients treated with immunosuppressants (ISPs), recent studies found similar severity of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections compared to controls. One potential explanation is the rapid generation humoral responses upon infection, but evidence is lacking. ObjectivesTo investigate longitudinal dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody repertoire after SARS-CoV-2 delta and omicron breakthrough infections in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) on ISPs and controls. MethodsAs prospective sub-study of the national Target-to-B! (T2B!) consortium, we included IMID patients on ISPs and controls who reported SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections between July 1, 2021, and April 1, 2022. To get an impression of the dynamics of the antibody repertoire, three antibody titers of wild-type RBD, wild-type S, and omicron RBD were measured at four time points after SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections. ResultsWe included 302 IMID patients on ISPs and 178 controls. Antibody titers increased up to 28 days after breakthrough infections in both groups. However, in IMID patients on anti-CD20 therapy and sphingosine-1 phosphate receptor (S1P) modulators, antibody titers were considerably lower compared to controls. In the anti-TNF group, we observed slightly lower antibody titers in the early stages and a faster decline of antibodies after infection compared to controls. Breakthrough infections were mostly mild and hospitalization was required in less than 1% of the cases. ConclusionsMost ISPs do not influence the dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody repertoire and exhibit a rapid recall response with cross-reactive antibody clones towards new viral variants. However, in patients treated with anti-CD20 therapy or S1P modulators, the dynamics were greatly impaired, and to a lesser extent in those anti-TNF. Nevertheless, only a few severe breakthrough cases were reported.

Association of immunomodulatory therapies with COVID-19 mortality in rheumatoid arthritis: An analysis of the FDA adverse event reporting system

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly affects patients with RA and other rheumatic diseases. Our study aims to explore the factors associated with COVID-19-related fatality among Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients, especially immunomodulatory therapies, using the international Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). MethodsReportes from FAERS were extracted from February 2020 to September 2022, and uesd for this cross-sectional analysis. The investigative outcome was COVID-19-related death. Age, sex, region, event date, and immunomodulatory medications classies were included as co-variates in multivariable logistic regression. In view of the different targeting and affinity of individual JAKi, Tofacitinib, Upadacitinib and Baricitinib was respectively analyzed. ResultsIn all, 3808 cases (mean age 58.85 years, 82.8% female), 267 (7.0%) died. JAKi therapies (41.2%), followed by TNFi (37.7%), IL-1i (12.2%), IL-6i (4.1%) and Anti-CD20 (3%) were reported. Risk factors associated with COVID-19-related death in RA patients were age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–1.08; p ​< ​0.01), male sex (1.71, 1.26–2.33; p ​= ​0.01) and anti-CD20 therapies (5.05; 1.40–18.19; p ​= ​0.013). With TNFi conference, anti-CD20 was still a risk predictor (4.29; 2.39–7.70; p ​< ​0.01). Other DMARDs except for anti-CD20, did not confer a significant association with mortality, compared with csDMARDs or TNFi. Individual JAKi showed no obvious difference in the risk of death, compared with csDMARDs or TNFis. ConclusionsConclusions Using FAERS open access data for risk prediction of death, anti-CD20 therapies were recognized as a risk factor for COVID-19-related fatalities among RA patients, other immunomodulatory therapies were not associated with mortality, compared with csDMARDs or TNFis.

Implementation of AZD7442 (Tixagevimab/Cilgavimab) COVID-19 Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in the Largest Health Maintenance Organization in Israel: Real-world Uptake and Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Across Immunocompromised Patient Groups.

AZD7442 is a combination of two neutralizing antibodies (tixagevimab/cilgavimab) with demonstrated efficacy in reducing the risk of symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among individuals at high risk of severe COVID-19 ≤ 6months after administration. On February 15, 2022, the Israeli Ministry of Health (IMoH) authorized the administration of 300mg AZD7442 as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2infection among immunocompromised individuals aged ≥ 12years. This study describes the real-world uptake of AZD7442 in Israel. This descriptive, observational study analyzed data from Israel's largest health maintenance organization, Clalit Health Services (CHS). Individuals were assessed for AZD7442 eligibility between February 13 and December 11, 2022, and were included if they were aged ≥ 12years, had ≥ 1year of continuous CHS membership, had≥ 1 moderate or severe immunocompromising condition, and were eligible for AZD7442 per IMoH recommendations during this time frame. Overall, 19,161 AZD7442-eligible individuals with immunocompromising conditions were identified during the study period; 2829 (14.8%) received AZD7442. A higher proportion of individuals receiving AZD7442 were older (aged ≥ 65years), male, not current smokers and residents in large cities; required more physician visits (> 50 visits); and had ≥ 1 COVID-19 hospitalization over 12months, while uptake was lowest among ultra-orthodox Jewish individuals. AZD7442 uptake was also higher among individuals with multiple comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥ 5), including hypertension, diabetes and chronic kidney disease. In specific immunocompromised types, AZD7442 uptake was highest among individuals with lung transplantation (41%), primary immunodeficiency (32%), bone marrow transplantation (29%) and multiple myeloma (25%) or those receiving anti-CD20 therapy (26%) and was lowest in individuals with lymphoma (8%). These results show AZD7442 uptake among the eligible population of Israel in 2022 was relatively low, at 14.8%. Uptake was generally higher among immunocompromised individuals who may be perceived to be frail or at highest risk of COVID-19 infection and complications, although at 25-41%, further improvements in uptake would be more impactful. These results also indicate there is opportunity to expand AZD7442 uptake across immunocompromised groups and ensure more equitable uptake among some other sociodemographic groups. Overall, this study will help inform and reassess future implementation strategies for vulnerable populations.

Is drug interference still an issue for pretransfusion testing of patients on anti CD38 and other monoclonal antibody therapies?

Certain therapies that target CD markers on some blood cells can affect pretransfusion testing. Key examples are anti-CD38, CD47 monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies such as daratumumab (DARA) and magrolimab, which have presented a challenge for transfusion medicine laboratories around the globe. Scientists have been faced with not only introducing a protocol to provide safe blood to patients but also investigating the most effective method to remove the pretransfusion pan-agglutinating interference caused. A number of papers in the last 5 years have reported on various methods to remove pretransfusion interference; however, most of these studies have been conducted only in a few countries. Most recent reviews on this topic have focused on techniques and reagents to remove pretransfusion interference, and dithiothreitol is currently the gold standard for removing DARA interference. However, it was clear from this review that while many laboratories have developed processes for addressing interference in pretransfusion testing, and DARA interference may not be a major issue, there are still laboratories around the world, that may not have adequately addressed this issue. In addition, the impact of mAb interference on widely used techniques such as flow cytometry is unclear.

Abstract PO5-20-12: A Case of Bilateral Breast Cancer in a patient on Ocrelizumab

Abstract Background: Ocrelizumab is an anti-CD20 B cell depleting monoclonal antibodies that was FDA approved in 2017 for Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and primary progressive multiple sclerosis based on two large phase III trials (OPERA I and ORATORIO)1. In these trials, patients being treated with Ocrelizumab developed more malignancies compared to placebo. Among these cancers, breast cancer was prominent occurring in about 0.5-0.8% of the patients in the Ocrelizumab group as opposed to 0% in the placebo group. Here we present a case of bilateral breast cancer in a patient with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) treated with Ocrelizumab. Case Presentation A 66-year-old woman with a long-standing history of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) presented to us with concerns of bilateral masses on a screening mammogram. She was diagnosed with MS 30 years prior to presentation and was initially treated with multiple immunomodulators. However, she had progression of disease and was started on Ocrelizumab two years prior to presentation. She was up to date with her screening mammograms which had been unrevealing till now. Family history was significant for breast cancer in her grandmother in her 70s. Her annual mammogram screening showed bilateral irregular masses. A subsequent right breast ultrasound showed three breast masses(1cm, 0.5cm and 0.5cm respectively) and her left breast showed a 0.5 cm mass. Biopsy from the right breast showed invasive ductal and lobular carcinoma(ER+, PR+, HER2-) and that from the left breast showed invasive lobular carcinoma(ER+, PR+, HER2-).She underwent bilateral mastectomies and sentinel lymph node biopsies. The surgical margins and lymph nodes were negative for malignancy hence radiation was not warranted. Genetic testing revealed one pathogenic variant in MSH3 but was negative for BRCA1 and 2. Since her Oncotype dx score was low, adjuvant chemotherapy was not offered. She was started on aromatase inhibitor and her Ocrelizumab was permanently discontinued. Discussion Ocrelizumab is one of the immunomodulator drugs for MS with a probable mechanism being B-cell depletion. The mechanism of how it causes breast cancer is unknown. However, suggested theory is that B cell inhibitors can increase the risk of breast cancer by inhibiting the potentially protective role of the B cells. The B cells are thought to play a role in the tumor micro-environments as antigen presenting cells and activators of natural killer and cytolytic T cells targeted toward lysis of tumors. Also, B cell presence, specifically CD20 B cells, is linked to a better prognosis in breast cancer. One study has also pointed out the importance of timing of anti-b cell therapy in relation to cancer morbidity. Treatment of mice with Anti-CD20 therapy prior to tumor challenge did not result in cancer metastasis. Whereas post tumor challenge, there was increased tumor cell survival and metastasis. Our patient although had a family history of breast cancer, did not have a genetic mutation that could have contributed to her breast cancer. Her breast cancer developed after her therapy with Ocrelizumab hence raising suspicion for causation. With rise in the use of immunosuppressive therapies, further data is needed to delineate pathogenesis. Women with MS have lower all-cause survival after breast cancer diagnosis than women without MS. Hence it is important to identify any risk factors or therapies that might be associated with increased risk of cancer. Citation Format: Kriti Mehra, Mohamad Hejazi. A Case of Bilateral Breast Cancer in a patient on Ocrelizumab [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-20-12.

Advancing CD19 CAR T Cell Therapy for Treatment of Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Abstract CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is emerging as a revolutionary approach in autoimmune disease management, offering a promising alternative to conventional treatments like anti-CD20 antibody therapy. Unlike challenges associated with existing therapies, CD19 CAR T cells, engineered to recognize CD19 molecules on B cells, exhibit remarkable efficacy in achieving targeted B cell depletion. Upon target recognition, they become activated, efficiently eliminating the harmful B cells. Furthermore, the CAR T cells exhibit a propensity for proliferation upon target recognition, thereby ensuring their prolonged presence within the body. Our findings unequivocally establish the effectiveness of CD19 CAR T cells in specifically targeting and depleting B cells, both in vitro and in vivo. In a well-established PBC model involving NOD.c3 mice, the application of CD19 CAR T cell therapy led to a remarkable reduction in liver pathology scores, indicating a substantial decrease in tissue damage and inflammation compared to control groups. Beyond liver autoimmunity, our research holds promise for treating other autoimmune conditions where B cells play a detrimental role. These insights pave the way for innovative therapies that have the potential to revolutionize autoimmune disease management, offering a hope for affected individuals and improving their quality of life.

B cell Maturation Antigen Impacts Microglia and Macrophage Phenotypes in Neuro-autoimmune disease.

Abstract BAFF and APRIL, crucial to B cell function, play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS), with therapeutic blockade linked to worsened disease. These cytokines signal through the receptors: BAFFR, TACI, and BCMA. BCMA stands out in MS due to elevated soluble levels in the cerebrospinal fluid. Our prior study using EAE revealed increased disease severity in BCMA knockout mice. Additionally, BCMA showed divergent roles in response to anti-CD20 and TACI-Fc treatments in EAE, enhancing anti-CD20 therapy responsiveness but diminishing TACI-Fc efficacy. The contrasting effects of BCMA on these treatments led us to explore its function in cell types beyond B cells. Here, we report that BCMA is highly expressed on microglial cells, and infiltrating Ly6C+ myeloid cells in the CNS of wildtype mice with EAE. Additionally, we found that BCMA-/- mice exhibited altered CD86 expression on microglial cells and elevated iNOS on infiltrating macrophages, suggesting a role in skewing towards an M1 phenotype in the CNS during EAE. In the lymph nodes, we also observed a similar effect on the M1-type macrophages in BCMA-/- mice compared to BCMA+/+ mice. These findings offer evidence of a novel role for BCMA in modulating microglia and macrophage function, providing additional insights into the intricate role that BAFF and APRIL play in neuroautoimmune diseases.

Dental Adverse Effects of Anti-CD20 Therapies.

Over the past few years, anti-CD20 therapies like rituximab, ocrelizumab or ofatumumab have seen an increase in interest in the treatment of neurological autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), or resistant forms of generalized myasthenia gravis (MG). They are generally well-tolerated, but recent reports have highlighted severe dental disorders in patients undergoing anti-CD20 therapies. The aim was to describe a series of cases and to compare with the available scientific literature. We reviewed 6 patient cases with dental disorders during anti-CD20 therapy that were reported to the pharmacovigilance center. A disproportionality analysis was also conducted on Vigibase® for each anti-CD20 and each adverse effect described in the cases. Six cases of dental and gingival conditions in relatively young patients were reported (median age: 40.5 years old [min: 34; max: 79]). Oral conditions were developed in four patients with MS treated with ocrelizumab and in two patients receiving rituximab (one patient with MG and one with NMOSD). The onset of oral conditions ranged from 10 days to 2 years after treatment initiation. Notably, all patients treated with ocrelizumab experienced gingival recession. Various dental pathologies were observed, including tooth loss, dental pain, caries, brittle teeth, dental fractures, dental abscesses, and periodontitis. Analysis of Vigibase® revealed 284 worldwide cases of dental and gingival conditions under ocrelizumab, 386 cases under rituximab, and 80 under ofatumumab. Significant associations were found between these therapies and dental pathologies, particularly tooth abscesses and infections. To our knowledge, this is the first case series reporting dental conditions developed in patients long-term treated with anti-CD20 treatments. This issue, literature data, and Vigilyze® analysis might be considered a safety signal that necessitates being confirmed with more robust data, such as a retrospective study with a control group. Meanwhile, proactive measures are essential like frequent dental checkups and dental hygienic measures to prevent oral health problems associated with anti-CD20 therapies.

Sequencing of Anti-CD19 Therapies in the Management of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

Several second- and third-line immunotherapeutic options for patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant are directed against the B-cell antigen cluster of differentiation 19 (CD19). The anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody tafasitamab, paired with the immunomodulator lenalidomide, mediates antibody-dependent cellular toxicity and phagocytosis; the antibody-drug conjugate loncastuximab tesirine delivers the DNA cross-linking agent tesirine via CD19 binding and internalization; and CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) products are engineered from autologous T cells. Although CD19 expression is assessed at diagnosis, clinically relevant thresholds of CD19 expression-which may not be detectable using current routine methodologies-have not been defined and may vary between CD19-directed treatment modalities. Determining optimal treatment sequencing strategies for CD19-directed therapy is hampered by the exclusion of patients who have received prior CD19-directed therapies from major clinical trials. Antigen escape, which is attributed to mechanisms including epitope loss and defective cell surface trafficking of CD19, is an important cause of CAR-T failure. Limited data suggest that CD19 expression may be maintained after non-CAR-T CD19-directed therapy, and retrospective analyses indicate that some patients with disease relapse after CAR-T may benefit from subsequent CD19-directed therapy. To date, clinical evidence on the effect of anti-CD19 therapy prior to CAR-T has been limited to small case series. Prospective studies and detailed analyses are needed to understand how pretreatment and posttreatment CD19 expression correlates with clinical responses to subsequent CD19-directed therapy to fully maximize treatment strategies.

Rituximab in non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy: a single-center experience

ObjectivesThis case series reports clinical features and outcome of four patients with non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy (NSVN) treated with the anti-CD20 agent rituximab.MethodsClinical, electrophysiological and biopsy data were retrospectively obtained and evaluated. Only patients with pathological definite or probable NSVN were included. Extensive clinical and laboratory work-up excluded systemic vasculitis. Follow-up data for at least 12 months and up to five years is provided. Outcome of the patients was assessed using the MRC-Sum Score, Prineas Score and Neurological Symptom Score.ResultsTwo of four patients treated with rituximab achieved disease remission and one patient remained stable under anti-CD20 therapy after a required treatment switch due to toxic side effects of cyclophosphamide. One patient deteriorated under rituximab induction. Rituximab was well tolerated in all patients.DiscussionAnti-CD20 therapy might be an alternative in NSVN patients requiring further treatment escalation or treatment switch due to side effects of corticosteroids or cyclophosphamide.

A Comprehensive Review on the Efficacy of Anti-CD20 Therapies in Pemphigus Treatment.

Pemphigus, an autoimmune blistering disorder, poses significant therapeutic challenges due to dysregulated B cells and the involvement of CD20. This review assesses the efficacy of anti-CD20 therapies, including rituximab, ofatumumab, ocrelizumab, and obinutuzumab, in pemphigus treatment. Mechanisms of action, clinical studies, and safety profiles were analyzed, revealing diverse impacts on disease severity. B cell depletion emerged as a pivotal factor, disrupting the autoimmune process and reducing pathogenic antibodies. Varied efficacy and safety profiles among agents underscore the need for personalized treatment strategies guided by biomarkers. Challenges such as resistance and long-term safety concerns necessitate continued research and vigilance. In clinical practice, insights from this review inform nuanced, tailored approaches for improved pemphigus management. The dynamic landscape of emerging therapies and personalized medicine emphasizes the need for ongoing research and strategic clinical decision-making. This review is a foundation for future investigations, providing insights for clinicians and researchers in optimizing pemphigus treatment.

Shifting patterns of multiple sclerosis treatment in a highly prevalent United States population.

Our objectives were to (1) obtain the prevalence and demography of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a representative Colorado population, and (2) to assess the utilization of disease-modifying therapy within this prevalent cohort. This is a retrospective, observational study of patients that had contact with the University of Colorado Health System from 2012 to 2020. We queried Health Data Compass, a data warehouse, for patient data and applied the MS Prevalence Workgroup Algorithm to generate a prevalent cohort. We calculated prevalence as of 31 December 2020, and stratified by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. Payer information and treatment exposure were obtained from linked claims from the Colorado All Payers Claim Database. Disease-modifying therapies were classified as highly effective and moderately effective based on the clinical trial, TREAT-MS (NCT03500328). From a population of 1,382,821 individuals, 8557 people with MS were captured. Age-adjusted prevalence of MS as of 31 December 2020 was 572.3 per 100,000 with a mean age of 47.36. Prevalence varied between demographic subgroups, with the lowest prevalence in Hispanic men (215.6) and highest in White (824.1) and Black women (820.1). Overall disease-modifying therapy exposure was 62.4%, with increased highly effective therapy use and a corresponding decrease in moderately effective therapy use on a yearly basis. MS is highly prevalent in a representative Colorado cohort. Overall treatment and proportion of highly effective therapy exposure increased significantly during a critical period of MS therapeutic advances, indicating a shift in disease management driven sharply by the availability of on-label anti-CD20 therapy.

Pyrimidine depletion enhances targeted and immune therapy combinations in acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a fatal disease characterized by the accumulation of undifferentiated myeloblasts, and agents that promote differentiation have been effective in this disease but are not curative. Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors (DHODHi) have the ability to promote AML differentiation and target aberrant malignant myelopoiesis. We introduce HOSU-53, a DHODHi with significant monotherapy activity, which is further enhanced when combined with other standard-of-care therapeutics. We further discovered that DHODHi modulated surface expression of CD38 and CD47, prompting the evaluation of HOSU-53 combined with anti-CD38 and anti-CD47 therapies, where we identified a compelling curative potential in an aggressive AML model with CD47 targeting. Finally, we explored using plasma dihydroorotate (DHO) levels to monitor HOSU-53 safety and found that the level of DHO accumulation could predict HOSU-53 intolerability, suggesting the clinical use of plasma DHO to determine safe DHODHi doses. Collectively, our data support the clinical translation of HOSU-53 in AML, particularly to augment immune therapies. Potent DHODHi to date have been limited by their therapeutic index; however, we introduce pharmacodynamic monitoring to predict tolerability while preserving antitumor activity. We additionally suggest that DHODHi is effective at lower doses with select immune therapies, widening the therapeutic index.

Immunophenotyping in routine clinical practice for predicting treatment response and adverse events in patients with MS.

Recent studies proposed cellular immunoprofiling as a surrogate for predicting treatment response and/or stratifying the occurrence of adverse events (AEs) in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, applicability in real-world circumstances is not sufficiently addressed. We aimed to explore whether standard routine clinical leukocyte phenotyping before treatment initiation could help stratify patients according to treatment response or AEs in a real-world MS cohort. In this retrospective study, 150 pwMS were included, who had been newly initiated on a disease-modifying drug (DMD) and had been assessed for standard immunophenotyping before DMD initiation (baseline) and at least once during the following year. Multivariate models were used to assess an association of immune subsets and the association between immune cell profiles regarding treatment response and AEs. We found that the composition of T cell subsets was associated with relapse activity, as an increased proportion of CD8+ lymphocytes at baseline indicated a higher likelihood of subsequent relapse (about 9% per 1% increase in CD8+ proportion of all CD3+ cells). This was particularly driven by patients receiving anti-CD20 therapy, where also EDSS worsening was associated with a higher number of CD8+ cells at baseline (3% increase per 10 cells). In the overall cohort, an increase in the proportion of NK cells was associated with a higher risk of EDSS worsening (5% per 1% increase). Occurrence of AEs was associated with a higher percentage of T cells and a lower number of percentual NKT cells at baseline. Immune cell profiles are associated with treatment response and the occurrence of AEs in pwMS. Hence, immunophenotyping may serve as a valuable biomarker to enable individually tailored treatment strategies in pwMS.

Long-term follow up of alemtuzumab-treated patients: a retrospective study in a Belgian tertiary care center.

Pivotal studies have reported a significant proportion of patients achieving no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) after 2 cycles of treatment with alemtuzumab (ATZ), that can be maintained for several years. Long-term real-world evidence regarding ATZ as well as subsequent treatment trajectories is still scarce. To analyze the effectiveness and safety of ATZ-treated patients in a tertiary care Belgian center. A retrospective cohort study including 32 patients treated with ATZ between 2015 and 2021 was performed. 32 patients received 2 ATZ courses with a mean follow-up (FU) duration of 5.6years (range: 2.25-8.2). 21.75% patients were treatment naïve. 40.5% were previously treated with natalizumab or fingolimod. NEDA-3 was achieved in 61.3-85% of patients, with failure mostly attributed to recurrence of radiological disease activity. During FU, annualized relapse rates remained very low (0.06-0.14), disability improvement occurred in up to 40.5%, whereas disability worsening occurred in up to 13.5%. Retreatment risk was associated with younger age (< 45years old, Odds Ratio 8.0, p = 0.02) and a higher number of previous DMTs (Hazard ratio 2.7, 95%CI 1.3-7.4, p = 0.02). Safety in our cohort was consistent with the known profile of ATZ. At the end of FU, 65.6% patients remained untreated after 2 or 3 courses of ATZ, while the remaining switched to anti-CD20 therapy or cladribine. ATZ is a high efficacy therapy for active MS, providing long-term remission in a significant proportion of patients. Retreatment was more frequent in younger patients or patients having failed a higher number of previous DMTs.

Body Mass Index Not Associated with MS Relapse After Anti-CD20 Therapy (P2-6.001)

Body Mass Index Not Associated with MS Relapse After Anti-CD20 Therapy (P2-6.001)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in patients with hematological malignancies in the Omicron era: Respiratory failure, need for mechanical ventilation and mortality in seronegative and seropositive patients.

Patients with hematological malignancies (HM) have a high risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), also in the Omicron period. Retrospective single-center study including HM patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection from January 2022 to March 2023. Study outcomes were respiratory failure (RF), mechanical ventilation (MV), and COVID-related mortality, comparing patients according to SARS-CoV2 serology. Note that, 112 patients were included: 39% had negative SARS-CoV2 serology. Seronegative were older (71.5vs. 65.0 years, p = 0.04), had more often a lymphoid neoplasm (88.6%vs. 69.1%, p = 0.02), underwent anti-CD20 therapy (50.0%vs. 30.9% p = 0.04) and had more frequently a severe disease (23.0%vs. 3.0%, p = 0.02) than seropositive.Kaplan-Meier showed a higher risk for seronegative patients for RF (p=0.014), MV (p=0.044), and COVID-related mortality (p=0.021). Negative SARS-CoV2 serostatus resulted in a risk factor for RF (hazards ratio [HR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-4.67, p = 0.04), MV (HR 3.37, 95% CI 1.06-10.68, p = 0.04), and COVID-related mortality (HR 4.26, 95% CI 1.09-16.71, p = 0.04). : HM patients with negative SARS-CoV2 serology, despite vaccinations and previous infections, have worse clinical outcomes compared to seropositive patients in the Omicron era. The use of serology for SARS-CoV2 diagnosis could be an easy tool to identify patients prone to developing complications.

Bilateral Thalamic Involvement in West Nile Infection Linked to Anti-CD20 Therapy in a Patient with Multiple Sclerosis (P1-6.011)

Bilateral Thalamic Involvement in West Nile Infection Linked to Anti-CD20 Therapy in a Patient with Multiple Sclerosis (P1-6.011)

OLIKOS Study: 6-month Interim Efficacy and Safety in Patients with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Who Switched to Subcutaneous Ofatumumab from Intravenous Anti-CD20 Therapies (P10-6.006)

OLIKOS Study: 6-month Interim Efficacy and Safety in Patients with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Who Switched to Subcutaneous Ofatumumab from Intravenous Anti-CD20 Therapies (P10-6.006)