Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Transplant Recipients with Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy

Abstract

Antibodies against PD1 have been used to treat progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare brain disease caused by JC virus. We used these antibodies (nivolumab) to treat PML in 3 kidney transplant recipients. All died within 8 weeks of diagnosis. Hence, nivolumab did not improve PML outcome after solid organ transplantation.

Keywords

• progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
• PML
• immune checkpoint inhibitors
• nivolumab
• T-cell exhaustion
• kidney transplantation