New Frontiers in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment: From Targeting Costimulatory Molecules to Bispecific Antibodies

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. The therapeutic landscape for MS has evolved significantly since the 1990s, with the development of more than 20 different disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). These therapies effectively manage relapses and inflammation, but most have failed to meaningfully prevent disease progression. While classically understood as a T cell-mediated condition, the most effective DMTs in slowing progression also target B cells. Novel classes of MS therapies in development, including anti-CD40L monoclonal antibodies, CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, and Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors show greater capacity to target and eliminate B cells in the brain/CNS, as well as impacting T-cell and innate immune compartments. These approaches may help tackle the disease at its immunopathological core, addressing both peripheral and central immune responses that drive MS progression. Another emerging therapeutic strategy is to use bispecific antibodies, which have the potential for dual-targeting various disease aspects such as immune activation and neurodegeneration. As such, the next generation of MS therapies may be the first to reduce both inflammatory demyelination and disease progression in a clinically meaningful way. Their ability to target specific immune cell populations while minimizing broad immune suppression could also lead to better safety profiles. Here, we explore the biological rationale, advantages, limitations, and clinical progress of these emerging immunotherapies for relapsing-remitting and progressive forms of MS.

Keywords: BTKi; CAR T cell; CD19; CD20; CD40L; DMT; multiple sclerosis.

Figure 1

Upcoming therapeutics in multiple sclerosis. Anti-CD40L monoclonal antibodies, CAR T cells, and BTK inhibitors have been the most recently used in innovative research, showing promising outcomes for treating MS due to their abilities to target B cells and other innate cells in the CNS.