Tenofovir as a treatment option for multiple sclerosis

• DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2020.102569
• Publication Date: 2020-10-07T15:54:59Z
• Authors: Øivind Torkildsen; Kjell-Morten Myhr; Vegard Skogen; Linn Hofsøy Steff...; Kjetil Bjørnevik
• Keywords: Tenofovir alafenamide; Tenofovir; Lytic cycle; Abacavir

Some antiretroviral medications are also inhibitors of EBV. We describe a patient with highly active MS who was infected with HIV and started HIV-treatment containing tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), a potent inhibitor of EBV lytic reactivation. Her MS was in complete remission during this treatment, and she had new radiological disease activity again after switching to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, a HIV drug with less potent activity against EBV replication. Based on the recently detected mechanism of TDF and TAF, we suggest that further studies on these drugs in MS are warranted.