title: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and natalizumab.
abstract: Natalizumab (TYSABRI(®)), a specific α4-integrin antagonist, is approved as a second-line treatment of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients who fail therapy with interferons or as first-line treatment of patients with highly active relapsing-remitting disease. Since the market introduction of natalizumab as a monotherapy in July of 2006, 111 cases of PML have been reported in natalizumab-treated MS patients as of April 2011. This review focuses on the available data regarding risk stratification for PML under long-term natalizumab therapy, and summarizes the current approach for PML management, as a natalizumab treatment complication is not necessarily associated with a fatal outcome. There is a need for development of surrogate markers that would help to better define the risk of PML in individual patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Gudrunstrasse 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hellwig
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007968:Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal / Q000139:chemically induced*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069442:Natalizumab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000069442:Natalizumab