Is Briumvi (ublituximab) medically indicated for a patient with multiple sclerosis, showing improvement in symptoms but still experiencing Lhermitte's sign, with a JC virus index of 0.61 and stable MRI findings?

Briumvi is Medically Indicated for This Patient

Briumvi (ublituximab) is FDA-approved and medically indicated for this patient with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, and the current clinical presentation supports continuation of therapy. 1

FDA Indication and Dosing

• Briumvi is specifically indicated for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease in adults. 1
• The prescribed dosing regimen (150 mg on day 1, then 450 mg 2 weeks later, followed by maintenance 450 mg every 6 months) aligns with the FDA-approved dosing schedule. 1, 2

Clinical Response Assessment

• The patient demonstrates appropriate treatment response with symptom improvement and stable MRI findings showing no new lesions. 3
• Stable scattered foci of T2 prolongation without new lesions on MRI indicates disease stability, which is the primary monitoring goal for MS therapy. 3
• The persistence of Lhermitte's sign (an electric shock-like sensation with neck flexion) represents residual demyelination from prior disease activity rather than treatment failure, as this symptom reflects pre-existing spinal cord pathology. 4

JC Virus Risk Stratification

The JC virus index of 0.61 places this patient in a low-risk category for PML, which is primarily relevant for natalizumab therapy rather than anti-CD20 therapies like Briumvi. 3, 5

Key Risk Context:

• PML risk stratification using JCV antibody index was developed specifically for natalizumab-treated patients, where JCV-positive patients with index >1.5 have substantially elevated PML risk (approximately 1 in 855). 3, 5
• For anti-CD20 antibodies like Briumvi, no cases of PML have been reported in MS clinical trials, though theoretical risk exists as with all B-cell depleting therapies. 1
• The patient's JCV index of 0.61 is well below the high-risk threshold of 1.5 used in natalizumab monitoring. 3, 5
• Rituximab (another anti-CD20 antibody) has been associated with reductions in JCV antibody index values over time, suggesting that JCV serostatus may have limited utility for risk stratification in anti-CD20 therapies. 6

Monitoring Recommendations

Continue standard MRI surveillance rather than intensive PML monitoring protocols:

• Annual brain MRI is appropriate for patients on anti-CD20 therapies without high PML risk factors. 3, 5
• MRI protocol should include T2-weighted, FLAIR, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences to monitor for both MS disease activity and potential complications. 3
• The intensive 3-4 month MRI monitoring recommended for high-risk natalizumab patients (JCV index >1.5, >18 months treatment) is not indicated for this patient on Briumvi. 3, 5

Safety Monitoring Considerations

Hepatitis B screening and immunoglobulin monitoring are the primary safety concerns for Briumvi:

• HBV screening should have been performed before treatment initiation, as HBV reactivation has occurred in MS patients treated with Briumvi. 1
• Monitor quantitative serum immunoglobulins during treatment, particularly IgM levels, which decreased in 0.6% of Briumvi-treated patients in clinical trials. 1
• Infusion-related reactions occur in approximately 47.7% of patients but are generally manageable and do not contraindicate continued therapy. 2

Evidence of Efficacy

Briumvi demonstrated superior efficacy compared to teriflunomide in phase 3 trials:

• Annualized relapse rates were significantly lower with ublituximab (0.08-0.09) versus teriflunomide (0.18-0.19), representing approximately 50-60% reduction. 2
• Mean gadolinium-enhancing lesions were dramatically reduced (0.01-0.02 with ublituximab vs 0.25-0.49 with teriflunomide). 2
• This patient's stable MRI findings with no new lesions align with expected treatment response. 2