title: An observational study of alemtuzumab following fingolimod for multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a series of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) who experienced significant and unexpected disease activity within the first 12 months after switching from fingolimod to alemtuzumab.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with relapsing MS treated sequentially with fingolimod then alemtuzumab who experienced significant subsequent disease activity were identified by personal communication with 6 different European neuroscience centers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine patients were identified. Median disease duration to alemtuzumab treatment was 94 (39-215) months and follow-up from time of first alemtuzumab cycle 20 (14-21) months. Following first alemtuzumab infusion cycle, 8 patients were identified by at least 1 clinical relapse and radiologic disease activity and 1 by significant radiologic disease activity alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We acknowledge the potential for ascertainment bias; however, these cases may illustrate an important cause of reduced efficacy of alemtuzumab in a vulnerable group of patients with MS most in need of disease control. We suggest that significant and unexpected subsequent disease activity after alemtuzumab induction results from prolonged sequestration of autoreactive lymphocytes following fingolimod withdrawal, allowing these cells to be concealed from the usual biological effect of alemtuzumab. Subsequent lymphocyte egress then provokes disease reactivation. Further animal studies and clinical trials are required to confirm these phenomena and in the meantime careful consideration should be given to mode of action of individual therapies and sequential treatment effects in MS when designing personalized treatment regimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Owen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Illes
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sejbaek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duddy
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petheram
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Caspar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Munster
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Joep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Killestein
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Clas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malmeström
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tallantyre
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology (M.W., E.T., N.R.), Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales; Department of Neurology (O.P.), Morriston Hospital, Heol Maes Eglwys, Morriston, Swansea, UK; Departments of Neurology (Z.I., T.S.) and Clinical Immunology (C.N.), Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark; Department of Neurology (M.D.), The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne; Department of Neurology (K.P.), Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK; VU University Medical Center (C.v.M., J.K.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Neurology (C.M.), Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Robertson