Subcutaneous administration of alemtuzumab in patients with highly active multiple sclerosis.

Abstract

Alemtuzumab is an anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody with remarkable efficacy in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). In clinical trials and off-label use in MS, alemtuzumab has been administered intravenously (IV). Alemtuzumab is approved for chronic lymphoid leukemia as IV. Oncology guidelines recommend alemtuzumab subcutaneous (SC) over IV. There is no report of alemtuzumab SC in MS. We report two patients with highly active relapsing MS who were treated with SC alemtuzumab, had significant improvement and tolerated SC alemtuzumab well without the typical infusion-associated adverse events. SC alemtuzumab in MS warrants further studies as this may enhance patient convenience and minimize infusion-associated adverse events.

• Authors: Jai S Perumal, Farng Foo, Perry Cook, Omar Khan
• Journal: Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) (Mult Scler) Vol. 18 Issue 8 Pg. 1197-9 (Aug 2012) ISSN: 1477-0970 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22252465 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Immunologic Factors
• Alemtuzumab

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Alemtuzumab
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Disability Evaluation
• Female
• Humans
• Immunologic Factors (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Infusions, Subcutaneous
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Treatment Outcome