Emerging treatmentsLaboratory or animal researchLower EAE severity and Kupffer-cell-dependent tolerance in mice

Laboratory or animal research experiments in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)

Peptide-coupled red blood cells: Kupffer cells mediate tolerance in mice

Published by MyelinWatch: 9 Oct 2026

Organisation: University of Zurich research group

What happened

Published online on 7 October 2026 in Science Advances, this study examined peptide-coupled red blood cells (pcRBCs). In mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a model used in multiple sclerosis (MS) research, the approach was associated with less severe disease. Mechanistic experiments showed that liver Kupffer cells were necessary for the observed antigen-specific immune tolerance.

What this means for people with MS

The work helps explain a possible mechanism of the pcRBC approach. EAE is not human MS: reduced disease severity in mice does not establish benefit to patients, safety or myelin repair in people. The separate, earlier RED4MS early human study of CLS12311 is not a result of this 7 October paper. This study does not establish an available treatment or access and reimbursement in Greece.

About the approach studied in this programme: RED4MS (CLS12311)

CLS12311 attaches selected peptides to a person’s own red blood cells and returns those cells to the body. The intended effect is to teach the immune system to tolerate those specific antigens rather than broadly suppress immunity; the RED4MS human safety cohort, a separate phase Ib cohort and an EAE mouse mechanism study provide different kinds of evidence.

Approach source: ClinicalTrials.gov — RED4MS study record ↗ Cellerys — peptide-coupled red-cell approach ↗ Science Advances — separate EAE mouse mechanism study ↗

What kind of evidence exists?: Peer-reviewed original study using an EAE animal model and mechanistic experiments; no new human results
How reliable is this source?: Full peer-reviewed original article, Science Advances 12(41):eaeg6770, DOI 10.1126/sciadv.aeg6770, PMID 42842659; published online 7 October 2026. Disease-severity and mechanism evidence is from EAE mice, not a test of efficacy in people with MS.

Source: Science Advances (AAAS) — peer-reviewed research article ↗Source: Science Advances — original article DOI ↗ Source: PubMed — PMID 42842659 ↗

Research event/source date: 7 Oct 2026
Published by MyelinWatch: 9 Oct 2026
Last substantive MyelinWatch update: 9 Oct 2026

Related substantive developments

Research event/source date: 2 Nov 2026

Emerging treatmentsRegistered study in peopleStudy authorised in Greece; not a result

Phase 3 extension study authorised in Greece; recruitment not yet started

Frexalimab: Greece authorises the long-term Phase 3 extension study

Organisation: Sanofi · France

The EU Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) shows that Greece authorised Sanofi's Phase 3 extension study LTS18002 (2026-525688-41-00) on 2 November 2026. Denmark, Portugal and Poland authorised it on the same day, after Belgium (30 October 2026) and Austria (1 November 2026); all six countries are listed as authorised with recruitment pending. The record plans 17 participants in Greece and lists four Greek hospitals: AHEPA University General Hospital of Thessaloniki, the University General Hospital of Ioannina, the General University Hospital of Larissa and the 401 General Military Hospital of Athens. The study will look at the long-term safety and tolerability of frexalimab, an experimental antibody, in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). It is open only to people who complete earlier frexalimab studies on the study drug, such as the Phase 3 studies FREXALT and FREVIVA. The estimated EU recruitment start is 15 February 2027.

Published by MyelinWatch: 3 Nov 2026

What this means for people with MS

Authorisation means the study may proceed in Greece; it does not mean that it has started at any Greek hospital, that anyone has received treatment in it, or that frexalimab works. No Phase 3 results are available yet. People who are not already in a frexalimab study cannot join this extension, so it is not a way for other people with MS in Greece to receive frexalimab. Frexalimab is not an available treatment in Greece.

Read the update →Source: EU Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS), European Medicines Agency — official CTIS record ↗Source: ClinicalTrials.gov — FREXALT (NCT06141473), Phase 3, ongoing, not accepting new participants ↗ Source: ClinicalTrials.gov — FREVIVA (NCT06141486), Phase 3, ongoing, not accepting new participants ↗

Research event/source date: 30 Oct 2026

Emerging treatmentsRegistered study in peopleStudy authorised in two EU countries; not a result

Phase 3 extension study authorised in two EU countries; recruitment not yet started

Frexalimab: long-term Phase 3 extension study authorised in Belgium and Austria

Organisation: Sanofi · France

The EU Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) shows that Belgium authorised Sanofi's Phase 3 extension study LTS18002 (2026-525688-41-00) on 30 October 2026 and Austria on 1 November 2026. The study will look at the long-term safety and tolerability of frexalimab, an experimental antibody given into a vein or under the skin, in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). It is open only to people with relapsing MS or non-relapsing secondary progressive MS who complete earlier frexalimab studies on the study drug, including the Phase 3 studies FREXALT and FREVIVA. It plans 1,710 participants in total. Both countries are listed as authorised with recruitment pending; the estimated EU recruitment start is 15 February 2027.

Published by MyelinWatch: 2 Nov 2026

What this means for people with MS

Authorisation means the study may proceed; it does not mean that it has started, that anyone has received treatment in it, or that frexalimab works. No Phase 3 results are available yet. People who are not already in a frexalimab study cannot join this extension. Greece authorised the study later, on 2 November 2026 (see the separate update); frexalimab is not an available treatment in Greece.

Research event/source date: 28 Oct 2026

Emerging treatmentsResults from peopleSubgroup finding: significant in Hispanic or Latino participants, not significant in Black participants

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OPERA trials: post hoc look at disability worsening in Black and Hispanic or Latino participants

Organisation: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, with Genentech and Roche · United States

Researchers led by the University of Southern California, with authors from Genentech, Roche and other US centres, re-analysed the OPERA I and II trials, which compared ocrelizumab with interferon beta-1a for two years in relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). In the interferon group, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic or Latino participants had a higher risk of disability worsening confirmed after 24 weeks, measured with a combined (composite) disability measure, than non-Hispanic White participants (hazard ratio 3.0 and 2.3). Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic or Latino participants also had more CD19-positive B cells at the start. In 1,138 participants who consented to genetic analysis, higher African or Americas genetic ancestry was also linked to higher risk. Ocrelizumab lowered B cells in all groups. Compared with interferon, it lowered the risk of this composite disability worsening in Hispanic or Latino participants (hazard ratio 0.38; 95% confidence interval 0.20–0.72). In the 65 Black participants the estimate also pointed to lower risk (hazard ratio 0.41), but the 95% confidence interval of 0.13–1.29 includes no difference, so the result is not statistically significant.

Published by MyelinWatch: 30 Oct 2026

What this means for people with MS

This is not a new treatment or a new approval: ocrelizumab is already an approved MS treatment. The analysis was done after the trials ended, in small subgroups (only 65 Black participants), using self-reported race and ethnicity; it cannot show why risk differed and does not change treatment guidance. The authors conclude that ocrelizumab reduced risk regardless of race or ethnicity, but for Black participants the study alone does not establish this. It does not establish availability or reimbursement in Greece or support changing an individual treatment without a neurologist.

Read the update →Source: Multiple Sclerosis Journal (SAGE) — peer-reviewed primary article ↗Source: Multiple Sclerosis Journal — DOI 10.1177/13524585261496124 ↗ Source: ClinicalTrials.gov — OPERA I (NCT01247324), completed with posted results ↗ Source: ClinicalTrials.gov — OPERA II (NCT01412333), completed with posted results ↗