Ocrelizumab: A New B-cell Therapy for Relapsing Remitting and Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Objective: To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of ocrelizumab, a new B-cell-targeted therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Data sources: A comprehensive search of PubMed and OVID/MEDLINE was conducted using search terms ocrelizumab and multiple sclerosis using the date range of 1946 through October 2017.

Study selection and data extraction: All English-language, human-subject articles related to ocrelizumab and MS were evaluated.

Data synthesis: Ocrelizumab was approved in March 2017 for the treatment of relapsing or primary progressive MS (PPMS). A phase II trial established 600 mg intravenously every 6 months as the preferred dosing schedule. Two phase III trials evaluated the efficacy of ocrelizumab in patients with relapsing remitting MS, and individual and pooled analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in annualized relapse rate ( P < 0.001 pooled), disability progression at 12 weeks ( P < 0.001 pooled), and gadolinium-enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; P < 0.001). Patients with PPMS were evaluated in a third phase III trial, which showed a significant decrease in disease progression at 12 weeks ( P = 0.03) and volume of T2-weighted lesions on MRI ( P < 0.001). As with other monoclonal antibodies, adverse effects seen with ocrelizumab were primarily infusion-related reactions and infection.

Conclusions: Ocrelizumab demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of relapsing and PPMS and is the first therapy approved for patients with PPMS.

Keywords: central nervous system; disease management; drug development and approval; monoclonal antibodies; neurology.