Anti-CD19 antibody therapy demonstrates efficacy in a placebo-controlled study.
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) has one recently approved therapy (NEJM JW Neurol Aug 2019 and N Engl J Med 2019; 381:614) and several off-label therapies. Inebilizumab is an anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody that targets circulating B cells, differing from anti-CD20 therapy by depleting pro-B cells and plasmablasts in addition to pre-B cells through memory B cells. Researchers have conducted a manufacturer-funded, phase 2/3 study, randomizing 174 patients with active NMOSD to inebilizumab and 56 to placebo.
The data monitoring committee stopped the trial early, based on 12% of inebilizumab recipients experiencing a relapse compared with 39% of placebo recipients. With inebilizumab versus placebo, time to first on-study relapse wa…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardAlexion Pharmaceuticals; Amgen; Astoria; Biogen; Bristol Myers Squibb; Celltrion; Genentech; Hoffmann-La Roche; Genzyme; EMD Serono; Immpact-Bio; Immunic Therapeutics; Kyverna; Lundbeck; Novartis; Sandoz; TG Therapeutics
Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; National Multiple Sclerosis Society; U.S. Department of Defense
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesConsortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (Treasurer)
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardAlexion Pharmaceuticals; Amgen; Astoria; Biogen; Bristol Myers Squibb; Celltrion; Genentech; Hoffmann-La Roche; Genzyme; EMD Serono; Immpact-Bio; Immunic Therapeutics; Kyverna; Lundbeck; Novartis; Sandoz; TG Therapeutics
Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; National Multiple Sclerosis Society; U.S. Department of Defense
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesConsortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (Treasurer)