How common MS medicines change vaccine protection
Project-003
This project will see how two multiple sclerosis medicines affect vaccine and antibody responses in people with MS and in healthy adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11388600 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, the team will follow people with MS who are on either ocrelizumab (a B‑cell depleting medicine) or fingolimod (which locks immune cells in lymph nodes), along with healthy volunteers. They will collect blood and other samples over time and look at responses to prior CMV exposure and to new vaccines, measuring antibodies and specific immune cell types. By comparing these groups, the researchers aim to understand which parts of the immune system are needed for good vaccine protection when those MS medicines are in use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with multiple sclerosis who are currently treated with ocrelizumab or fingolimod, and healthy adults willing to give blood samples and receive vaccines, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with MS on other therapies, children, or those unable to attend in‑person visits are unlikely to get direct benefits from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help doctors time vaccines or pick treatments so people with MS get better protection from infections.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies show anti‑CD20 drugs and fingolimod often reduce vaccine antibody responses, but using those treatments to map detailed immune mechanisms in people is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Farber, Donna L. — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Farber, Donna L.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.