ECTRIMS 2021 | Discovering markers of disease progression in patients with MS treated with natalizumab
Persistent progression despite treatment with natalizumab in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is said to reflect progression independent of inflammation. Therefore, this population can act as a model to investigate the non-inflammatory component of MS pathology and look for markers of axonal damage. Charlotte Teunissen, PhD, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands, outlines the findings of a study assessing serum contactin-1 (sCNTN1) as a novel biomarker in natalizumab-treated relapsing-remitting MS. CNTN1 levels were shown to differ in patients that progressed on natalizumab compared to those that did not, suggesting it may be a valuable marker of long-term disease progression. Prof. Teunissen describes further work using this model to generate new biomarkers via unbiased proteomic screens. This interview took place at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) congress 2021.
Disclosures
Research of Prof. Teunissen is supported by the European Commission (Marie Curie International Training Network, grant agreement No 860197 (MIRIADE), and JPND), Health Holland, the Dutch Research Council (ZonMW), Alzheimer Drug Discovery Foundation, The Selfridges Group Foundation, Alzheimer Netherlands, Alzheimer Association.
Prof. Teunissen is a recipient of ABOARD, which is a public-private partnership receiving funding from ZonMW (#73305095007) and Health~Holland, Topsector Life Sciences & Health (PPP-allowance; #LSHM20106). More than 30 partners participate in ABOARD. ABOARD also receives funding from Edwin Bouw Fonds and Gieskes-Strijbisfonds.
Prof. Teunissen has a collaboration contract with ADx Neurosciences, Quanterix, and Eli Lilly, performed contract research or received grants from AC-Immune, Axon Neurosciences, Biogen, Brainstorm Therapeutics, Celgene, EIP Pharma, Eisai, PeopleBio, Roche, Toyama, and Vivoryon.
