COVID-19 in teriflunomide-treated patients with multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges for managing multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly for patients on immunomodulatory therapies.
• Limited evidence-based guidelines exist for MS management during the pandemic, creating uncertainty for clinicians.
• Long-term immunotherapies common in MS treatment raise concerns about patient susceptibility to novel viral infections like SARS-CoV-2.

Observation:

• This study observed five patients with MS treated with teriflunomide who contracted active COVID-19 infection.
• All patients continued their teriflunomide therapy despite the COVID-19 diagnosis.
• The course of COVID-19 infection in these patients was self-limiting.

Findings:

• Teriflunomide treatment was successfully continued in MS patients with active COVID-19 infection.
• No MS relapses were observed in the patients during or following their COVID-19 infection.
• The observed cases suggest a potentially manageable interaction between teriflunomide, MS, and COVID-19.

Implications:

• These findings suggest that teriflunomide therapy may not need to be interrupted in MS patients who contract COVID-19.
• The observations provide preliminary insights for clinical decision-making in managing MS patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Further research is warranted to establish evidence-based guidelines for MS treatment during viral pandemics.