COVID-19 in teriflunomide-treated patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The outbreak of a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19), has raised health concerns for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are commonly on long-term immunotherapies. Managing MS during the pandemic remains challenging with little published experience and no evidence-based guidelines. We present five teriflunomide-treated patients with MS who subsequently developed active COVID-19 infection. The patients continued teriflunomide therapy and had self-limiting infection, without relapse of their MS. These observations have implications for the management of MS in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic.