Daclizumab in treatment of multiple sclerosis patients

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis 2009-02, Vol.15 (2), p.272-274
• Main Authors: Ali, EN, Healy, BC, Stazzone, LA, Brown, BA, Weiner, HL, Khoury, SJ
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal - adverse effects; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Biological and medical sciences; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - administration & dosage; Immunoglobulin G - adverse effects; Immunosuppressive Agents - administration & dosage; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive - drug therapy; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - drug therapy; Neurology; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1352-4585; 1477-0970
• DOI: 10.1177/1352458508097468

Background Daclizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) that blocks the interleukin-2 receptor alpha subunit (IL-2R-alpha chain; CD25) expressed on activated T cells leading to the inhibition of T-cell expansion, thus strongly reduces brain inflammation in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Another mechanism is significant expansion of CD56 (bright) natural killer (NK) cells that in turn inhibit T-cell survival. Objective At the Partners MS center, we have been using Daclizumab in an open-label fashion in patients who fail first line therapy or non-standard immunosuppressive treatment. Our aim was to assess its safety and tolerability in our patient population.