Candidate Biomarker for Treatment Potential in Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Post-hoc analyses of trials in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) have suggested a treatment response for younger patients with more inflammatory disease. Investigators conducted this multicenter study to evaluate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters in PPMS patients for a potential biomarker of that treatment response.

Of 80 patients with PPMS, 26% had IgM oligoclonal bands (OCBs) present in their CSF. Those with IgM OCBs had more-aggressive disease, based on disability score, and had significantly higher proportions and absolute numbers of CSF B cells than IgM OCB–negative participants. In an analysis of 23 patients with PPMS from a past clinical trial, 22% of the 23 patients had IgM OCBs and 80% of those with IgM OCBs had gadol…