# Humoral immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies

> BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society and other expert organizations recommended that all patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) should be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, the effect of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on the efficacy to mount an appropriate immune respo...

## Metadata
- Authors: Anat Achiron, Mathilda Mandel, Sapir Dreyer-Alster, Gil Harari, David Magalashvili, Polina Sonis, Mark Dolev, Shay Menascu, Shlomo Flechter, Rina Falb, Michael Gurevich
- Journal: Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders
- Published: 2021-01-01
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/17562864211012835
- Citations: 363
- Source: OpenAlex
- Access: Open Access

## Technology Hub
- Hub: mRNA Therapies
- Discipline: Medicine / Biotechnology
- Hub URL: https://science-database.com/technology/mrna-therapies
- Hub llms.txt: https://science-database.com/technology/mrna-therapies/llms.txt

## Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society and other expert organizations recommended that all patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) should be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, the effect of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on the efficacy to mount an appropriate immune response is unknown. We aimed to characterize humoral immunity in mRNA-COVID-19 MS vaccinees treated with high-efficacy DMTs. METHODS: We measured SARS-CoV-2 IgG response using anti-spike protein-based serology (EUROIMMUN) in 125 MS patients vaccinated with BNT162b2-COVID-19 vaccine 1 month after the second dose. Patients were either untreated or under treatment with fingolimod, cladribine, or ocrelizumab. A group of healthy subjects similarly vaccinated served as control. The percent of subjects that developed protective antibodies, the titer, and the time from the last dosing were evaluated. RESULTS: = 26), respectively. SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titer was high in healthy subjects, untreated MS patients, and MS patients under cladribine treatment, within 29.5-55 days after the second vaccine dose. Only 22.7% of patients treated with ocrelizumab developed humoral IgG response irrespective to normal absolute lymphocyte count. Most fingolimod-treated MS patients had very low lymphocyte count and failed to develop SARS-COV-2 antibodies. Age, disease duration, and time from the last dosing did not affect humoral response to COVID-19 vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Cladribine treatment does not impair humoral response to COVID-19 vaccination. We recommend postponing ocrelizumab treatment in MS patients willing to be vaccinated as a protective humoral response can be expected only in some. We do not recommend vaccinating MS patients treated with fingolimod as a protective humoral response is not expected.

## Links
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/17562864211012835
- OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3158831599
- PDF: https://doi.org/10.1177/17562864211012835
- JSON API: https://science-database.com/api/v1/technology/mrna-therapies

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Paper ID: oa-W3158831599 | Hub: mrna-therapies