Anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 antibody responses following Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination in a patient with multiple sclerosis treated with ocrelizumab: a case report

J Int Med Res. 2021 Sep;49(9):3000605211044378. doi: 10.1177/03000605211044378.

Abstract

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) repeatedly receive therapies that cause B-lymphocyte depletion. This may lead to abnormal immune responses following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination, as has been suggested previously. We therefore evaluated post-vaccination immune responses in a patient with MS treated with ocrelizumab. The intervals between ocrelizumab infusions and vaccination were as recommended by the Section of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology of the Polish Neurological Society. A reactive immune response was observed in this patient following vaccination. This suggests that appropriate intervals between ocrelizumab infusions and COVID-19 vaccinations may permit the generation of efficacious immune responses in patients receiving B-lymphocyte depleting therapies.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis; anti-CD20 therapy; coronavirus disease 2019; ocrelizumab; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2; vaccine.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antibody Formation
  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Multiple Sclerosis* / drug therapy
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • ocrelizumab