Anti-CD19 Monoclonal Antibody for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder
May 2025
in “
The Journal of Rheumatology
”
Studysummary In this case report, two patients with coexisting systemic lupus erythematous and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder achieved remission of SLE activity using an anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
This document presents two case reports of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) treated with anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody, specifically inebilizumab, resulting in remission of SLE activity. The first case involved a 35-year-old man who showed improved neurological deficits and MRI findings after treatment, while the second case involved a 25-year-old woman who experienced no signs of SLE activity post-treatment, although some visual disturbances and paresthesia persisted. The discussion highlights that targeting CD19, which is expressed by more cells in the B cell lineage than CD20, may offer greater inhibition of B cell signaling and be effective for patients with coexisting SLE and NMOSD. Despite limited data, these cases suggest potential efficacy of anti-CD19 therapies in such conditions.
