The first report of successful treatment with a monoclonal anti-B cell antibody may offer new hope for patients with stiff person syndrome, a rare but ultimately fatal autoimmune disease of the CNS.

Monoclonal antibody specific for B cells expressing CD20 antigen (rituximab) alleviated severe symptoms when other treatments failed. It abolished intrathecal autoantibody against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), suggesting that the syndrome is …