Laquinimod (Laq)

Laquinimod is an orally administered compound that is under investigation in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the therapeutic administration of laquinimod beginning during the recovery of SJL mice, prevented further relapses as expected and strongly reduced infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the central nervous system. Moreover, laquinimod treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis and mice modified the maturation of dendritic cells demonstrated by an upregulation of CD86 expression in vivo. Inhibition of the NF-κB pathway is responsible for the changes observed in dendritic cell maturation and functions. These findings indicate that laquinimod exhibits its disease-modulating activity in multiple sclerosis by downregulating immunogenicity of dendritic cell responses.