Abstract Details

Title Preliminary Results of Ongoing, Prospective Study of Antibody and T-Cell Responses to SARS-CoV-2 in Patients With MS on Ocrelizumab or Other Disease-Modifying Therapies

Topic Multiple Sclerosis

Presentation(s) Emerging Science Session (3:29 PM-3:33 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 007

Background

Since March 2020, ≈15% of patients attending NYU MS Care Center (NYUMSCC) in New York City had COVID-19. It is unknown whether DMTs affect persistence of antibody and T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2.

Objective

1. To assess SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in 1,000 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and its association with demographic and disease-related characteristics, and disease-modifying therapy (DMT); 2. To evaluate persistence of antibody and T-cell responses in a subset of these patients who were receiving ocrelizumab (OCR), other DMT or no DMT at the time of COVID-19 infection.

Design/Methods

Patients from NYUMSCC were invited to undergo serologic assessment using Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 (Roche Diagnostics) and multiplex bead–based immunoassays of antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and spike proteins. A subset of patients with or without COVID-19 history underwent study of T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (Invitrogen) and TruCulture (Myriad RBM) spike protein assays and live virus immunofluorescence-based microneutralization assay.

Results

Since January 2021, 100 unvaccinated patients with MS were enrolled (mean 41 years; 63% female; 45% non-white; 35% on OCR; 26% had COVID-19). Antibody and T-cell results were available for 40 patients (26 on OCR; 17 had COVID-19, median 10 months before sampling). Of the 40, Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assay identified all but 2 COVID-19+ patients, and multiplex bead-based assay identified all but 1 COVID-19+ patient as seropositive. Neither assay had false positives. T-cell activation based on induced IFN-γ secretion was observed in 10/17 COVID-19+ patients and 1 patient without COVID-19 history who developed PCR-confirmed COVID-19 five days after sampling. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody response was detected in 4/5 and T-cell response in 3/5 OCR-treated COVID-19+ patients.

Conclusions

Preliminary results suggest persistent humoral and T-cell immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 up to 10 months following infection even in B-cell depleted patients with MS. Updated results will be presented.

Authors/Disclosures
Ilya Kister, MD, FAAN (NYU School of Medicine) PRESENTER	Dr. Kister has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Genentech-Roche. Dr. Kister has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Horizon. The institution of Dr. Kister has received research support from Genentech. The institution of Dr. Kister has received research support from Novartis. Dr. Kister has received publishing royalties from a publication relating to health care.
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Rosetta Pedotti (Stanford University Med Center)	Rosetta Pedotti has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of Roche. Rosetta Pedotti has received stock or an ownership interest from Roche.
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