Immune response in ofatumumab treated multiple sclerosis patients after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

The pandemic induced by SARS-CoV-2 has huge implications for patients with immunosuppression that is caused by disorders or specific treatments. Especially approaches targeting B cells We here investigated immune cell alterations in early ofatumumab (Ofa) treated patients and effects on humoral (titer, neutralization capacity against wild type, Delta and Omicron) and cellular immune responses in Ofa treated MS patients following a third vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 compared to healthy controls. We show that a mean treatment duration of three months in the Ofa group led to near complete B cell depletion in line with altered composition of certain CD4 In summary, low dosage ofatumumab treatment elicits sustained depletion of B cells in line with alterations of immune cells, mainly Tregs. This is associated with impaired humoral immune response towards SARS-CoV-2 vaccination but preserved, Th1 driven cellular immunity adding crucial information regarding early effects of low dosage anti-CD20 therapy on humoral and cellular immunity.

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Copyright © 2022 Faissner, Heitmann, Plaza-Sirvent, Trendelenburg, Ceylan, Motte, Bessen, Urlaub, Watzl, Overheu, Reinacher-Schick, Hellwig, Pfaender, Schmitz and Gold.

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SF has received speaker’s and/or scientific board honoraria from Biogen, BMS, Celgene, Genesis Pharma, Novartis and Roche and grant support from Ruhr-University Bochum, DMSG, Stiftung für therapeutische Forschung, Lead Discovery Center GmbH and Novartis. KH has received travel grants from Biogen, Novartis and Merck and received speaker and research honoraria from Biogen Idec Germany, Teva, Sanofi Genzyme, Novartis, Bayer Health-Care, Merck Serono and Roche. RG serves on scientific advisory boards for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Biogen, Bayer Schering Pharma, and Novartis; has received speaker honoraria from Biogen, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Bayer Schering Pharma, and Novartis; serves as editor for Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Diseases and on the editorial boards of Experimental Neurology and the Journal of Neuroimmunology; and receives research support from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering Pharma, Genzyme, Merck Serono, and Novartis. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.