Clin Infect Dis. 2023 May 9:ciad281. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad281. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic neurological condition characterized by progressive myelopathic symptoms including spasticity, pain, weakness, and urinary symptoms, without proven treatments. Mogamulizumab (MOG) is a monoclonal antibody that binds CCR4 and leads to the clearance of HTLV-1-infected CCR4+ cells. A phase 1-2a study in Japan evaluated MOG for the treatment of HAM/TSP and reported decreases in HTLV-1 proviral load and neuroinflammatory markers, with clinical improvement in some participants.
METHODS: We administered MOG 0.1 mg/kg every 8 weeks to individuals with HAM/TSP as a compassionate and palliative treatment. Patients who received MOG had: 1) a positive peripheral HTLV-1 antibody, 2) progressive myelopathic symptoms, and 3) a diagnosis of HAM/TSP.
RESULTS: Four female patients, ages 45-68, received MOG (range, 2-6 infusions) between November 1, 2019 and November 30, 2022. Two patients with <3 years of symptoms had milder disease, with Osame scores <4. The other two, with >7 years of symptoms, had Osame scores >5. One patient, with 6 total treatments, received dose-reduced MOG after she developed a rash at the initial dose. The 2 patients with milder baseline disease reported symptomatic improvement and saw reductions in Osame and/or modified Ashworth scale scores during follow-up. The other 2 patients showed no improvement. All 4 developed rashes after receiving MOG – a treatment-limiting event in some cases.
CONCLUSIONS: Clinical trials are needed including diverse patient populations to assess the potential role of MOG for HAM/TSP. Our findings may help inform the development of these trials.
PMID:37157862 | DOI:10.1093/cid/ciad281
