Alemtuzumab in the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
Jeeyoung Oh
Department of Neurology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody against CD52 and is recently approved for the
second-line therapy of active relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis in Korea. Alemtuzumab leads to a
rapid and long-lasting depletion of peripheral T and B cells with repopulation of immune cell composition
resulting in the rebalancing of immune-tolerance network. However, it has a considerable adverse
effects including infusion associated reaction, infection, and secondary autoimmune disease
requiring close and regular monitoring during and for 4 years after the final infusion cycle. This review
will provide a summary of mechanism of action, data from the pivotal clinical studies, and safety
profiles of alemtuzumab.
Journal of Multiple Sclerosis 7(2):49-54, 2016