Monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of neuroimmunological diseases

Over the past 25 years, monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have become important elements in the therapeutic concepts for numerous clinical specialities, including oncology, gastroenterology, hemostaseology and endocrinology. One of the most dynamic fields of their use is the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Although the number of existing mAb interfering with the immune system has increased remarkably and many studies have yielded encouraging results in the treatment of neuroimmunological diseases, their clinical use is still limited compared with standard treatments. The only mAb which has been approved for a neuroimmunological disease by now is natalizumab for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). This article gives an overview on mAb that are currently in use or under investigation for treating neuroimmunological diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), inclusion body myositis (IBM), dermatomyositis, polymyositis, opsoclonusmyoclonus syndrome (OMS), multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), anti-myelin-glycoprotein neuropathy (Anti-MAG), stiff person syndrome and myasthenia gravis (MG).