Differential Effects of Ponesimod, a Selective S1P1 Receptor Modulator, on Blood-circulating Human T Cell Subpopulations

Ponesimod, a novel selective sphingosine-1-phosphate 1 receptor modulator in the development for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, dose-dependently reduced lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood of healthy subjects. It rapidly and transiently reduced the number of circulating T and B cells, but not natural killer cells. T lymphocyte subsets exhibited differential sensitivities with a maximum decrease from baseline ranging from 67% to 89% following high doses. Naïve T cells were more sensitive than memory T cells. CD4(+) T cells were more sensitive than CD8(+) T cells or CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells. The differential effects on specialized T cell subsets may contribute to the immunomodulatory activity of ponesimod. The therapeutic potential of ponesimod has been recently shown in phase II studies of chronic plaque psoriasis and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Our data suggest that lymphocyte sequestration underlies the therapeutic potential of ponesimod in multiple autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases.