LEMTRADA (also known as Alemtuzumab)

Mechanism:

Lemtrada is an antibody that binds to CD52, a molecule that is expressed on white blood cells. Lemtrada targets the problematic cells for destruction and is a powerful tool in a disease like multiple sclerosis (MS), which is thought to be caused by white blood cells attacking the central nervous system.

Indications:

Patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis who have had inadequate responses to two or more medications for multiple sclerosis such as Interferon beta and Copaxone.

Contraindications:

Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus should not be started on Lemtrada.

Administration:

Lemtrada is recommended to be administered by intravenous infusion for 2 courses.  The first course is 5 consecutive days of infusions and the second course is 3 consecutive days of infusions a year after the first course.