Ocrevus

June 1, 2020June 1, 2020

Two-hour Ocrevus Infusion Time Approved for MS Patients in Europe

News, Ocrevus

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved a shorter infusion time for Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), an approved treatment for people with relapsing or primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). The approval follows ... Read more

April 14, 2020April 14, 2020

Ocrevus Use Still Growing in Europe But Challenges on Horizon, Spherix Reports

News, Ocrevus, SPMS

Prescriptions of Roche’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients initiating or switching a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) continue to rise in Europe, according to a survey conducted by Spherix Global Insights. Ocrevus, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody ... Read more

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020

Scottish Medicines Consortium Approves Ocrevus for Treating PPMS

News, Ocrevus

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) has been approved in Scotland as a treatment for early, inflammatory primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has advised that Ocrevus can be prescribed ... Read more

September 17, 2019September 17, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – Early Ocrevus Use Slows Disability in PPMS, Including Risk of Wheelchair Reliance

News, Ocrevus

Early and continuous treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) leads to a greater and more durable slowing of disability progression — seen for up to 6.5 years — in people with ... Read more

September 12, 2019September 12, 2019

#ECTRIMS2019 – 6 Years of Ocrevus Use Tied to Low Rates of Serious Infections

News, Ocrevus

Treatment for more than six years with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is linked to lower levels of blood antibodies among people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and relapsing MS, but rates of ... Read more

September 13, 2018September 17, 2018

Ocrevus Increases Proportion of PPMS Patients with No Disease Progression or Activity, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News, Ocrevus

Treating primary progressive multiple sclerosis patients with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) led to a three-fold increase in the proportion of those showing no evidence of disease progression and no signs of inflammatory disease activity over ... Read more

May 3, 2018May 21, 2018

Ocrevus Shows Promise for Cognitive Function in Relapsing MS

Columns, Engaging Thoughts – a Column by Laura Kolaczkowski, Ocrevus

One thing we’ve all hoped for with our disease-modifying therapies (DMT) is a treatment that will improve our multiple sclerosis (MS) and not just keep it from worsening. The ... Read more

May 1, 2018May 21, 2018

#AAN2018 — Ocrevus Lowers Immune Response to Vaccines in Relapsing MS, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News, Ocrevus

Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is linked to a reduced immune response to vaccinations in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a Phase 3 trial. These results were recently presented at the ... Read more

April 20, 2018May 21, 2018

#AAN2018 – Ocrevus Data Support Sustained Efficacy, Ability to Aid Cognition in RMS Patients

News, Ocrevus

Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) shows sustained efficacy and an ability to improve cognition in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data being presented by Genentech, the drug’s developer. ... Read more

April 20, 2018May 21, 2018

#AAN2018 – Switching from Rebif to Ocrevus Improves MS, Extension Study Shows

News, Ocrevus

Continuous treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) or switching from Rebif (interferon beta-1a) to Ocrevus leads to a significant long-term reduction in relapsing multiple sclerosis activity, a two-year extension study shows. Ocrevus’s maker, ... Read more

April 18, 2018May 21, 2018

#AAN2018 – Ocrevus Decreases Biomarkers of MS Patients’ Nerve Cell Damage, Phase 3 Trial Shows

News, Ocrevus

Genentech’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) reduces levels of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers that denote nerve cell damage in multiple sclerosis patients, a Phase 3 clinical trial shows. Researchers will present the results at the American ... Read more

April 17, 2018May 21, 2018

5 MS Patients Across US Talk About How Ocrevus Has Changed Their Lives

News, Ocrevus

It’s been a little over a year since U.S. regulators approved Genentech’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) as the first treatment for both relapsing and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) — a disabling ... Read more

April 16, 2018May 21, 2018

Adverse Effects Influence Patient’s Perspective of Ocrevus’s Effectiveness, Survey Shows

News, Ocrevus

Higher rates of adverse effects have a negative impact on a patient’s perspective about treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), according to a survey conducted by the multiple sclerosis community GeneFo. About half of ... Read more

April 12, 2018May 21, 2018

An Ocrevus Update Has Me Cautiously Optimistic

Columns, Engaging Thoughts – a Column by Laura Kolaczkowski, Ocrevus

After a delay in treatment in late December thanks to a nasty head cold, and the after-effects of contracting the flu in February necessitating another delay, I finally received ... Read more

April 5, 2018March 11, 2019

MS Path 2 Care Program Aims to Empower Patients to Be Active in Healthcare Journey

Aubagio, Lemtrada, News, Ocrevus

In the first year after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1997, Ann Borsellino basically withdrew from life, rarely even leaving her bedroom. Knowing little about the disease, she ... Read more

March 29, 2018May 21, 2018

Ocrevus Outperforms Rebif in Preventing Relapsing MS Activity, Analysis Shows

News, Ocrevus

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) was more effective than Rebif (interferon beta-1a) at preventing relapsing multiple sclerosis activity, according to an analysis that covered two Phase 3 clinical trials. The comparison dealt with the ... Read more

March 28, 2018May 21, 2018

Ocrevus a Year After Approval: Views of Some MS Experts

News, Ocrevus

A year after U.S. regulators approved Genentech’s Ocrevus as the first treatment for both the relapsing and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis, a prominent neurologist involved in the Phase 3 clinical ... Read more

March 23, 2018March 11, 2019

It Shouldn’t Be This Hard to Get Our MS Medications

Aubagio, Columns, Lemtrada, Ocrevus, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

I got a phone call from my MS One to One nurse, Lynn, today. One to One is the patient support service provided by Sanofi Genzyme for patients on ... Read more

March 15, 2018May 21, 2018

New Spherix Report Finds PPMS Treatment Increased Significantly in Past Year

News, Ocrevus

Since Genentech‘s Ocrevus was approved a year ago, the treatment rate of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) has increased significantly. However, a closer look at the data shows that other disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) ... Read more

February 19, 2018May 21, 2018

New Ocrevus Data, Post-FDA Approval, Supports Range of Benefits, Genentech’s Hideki Garren Says

News, Ocrevus

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), Genentech’s humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, continues to show clear evidence that it helps to slow disease progression and enable better function — including in the hands and limbs — ... Read more

February 16, 2018May 21, 2018

Health Canada Approves Ocrevus to Treat Early Stage PPMS Patients with Active Disease

News, Ocrevus

Primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) patients in Canada in the earlier stages of this disease can now be treated with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), following Health Canada‘s decision to approve its use ... Read more

February 5, 2018May 21, 2018

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Testosterone and MS, Ocrevus in the UK, Enhanced MRI Technology, Ublituximab Trial Results

Columns, Ocrevus, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Researchers Identify Testosterone-triggered Molecule That Protects Men From MS This finding is an extension of research that has already indicated that a higher testosterone level reduces the chance of ... Read more

February 2, 2018May 21, 2018

#ACTRIMS2018 – Relapsing MS Patients With Impaired Vision Improved on Ocrevus, Updated Trial Data Show

News, Ocrevus

Ocrevus improved vision among relapsing multiple sclerosis patients who participated in the Phase 3 clinical trials of the treatment, according to updated analyses recently presented at the ACTRIMS Forum 2018. While ... Read more

February 2, 2018May 21, 2018

MS Trust Seeking PPMS Patients’ Views on Ocrevus as It Tries to Obtain British Coverage

News, Ocrevus

Britain’s Multiple Sclerosis Trust is asking patients to help them get the National Health Service to cover Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) as a treatment for primary progressive multiple sclerosis, or PPMS. The key step is trying ... Read more

January 22, 2018May 21, 2018

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Ocrevus in the EU, Salt and Cognitive Problems, Searching for Myelin, Tecfidera Tolerance

Columns, Ocrevus, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

European Commission Approves Ocrevus to Treat RRMS, PPMS Throughout EU This is a biggie. It’s been nearly a year since the FDA approved the use of Ocrevus here in ... Read more

January 19, 2018May 21, 2018

Heavy-hitting MS Therapies Now Being Used Sooner for Some Patients

Columns, Lemtrada, Ocrevus, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

I’m sitting in Florida and the start of spring training is only about six weeks from now, so please forgive a baseball analogy: The heavy-hitters of the MS-fighting treatments, ... Read more

January 15, 2018May 21, 2018

European Commission Approves Ocrevus to Treat RRMS, PPMS Throughout EU

News, Ocrevus

The European Commission has approved Roche’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) for both relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) across the 28-member European Union. The commission’s move — nearly 10 ... Read more

January 11, 2018May 21, 2018

My Ocrevus Treatments: The Next Round Is Delayed

Columns, Engaging Thoughts – a Column by Laura Kolaczkowski, Ocrevus

By now, I had planned to give you an update on my current multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapy Ocrevus (ocrelizumab). But one thing living with multiple sclerosis teaches us is ... Read more

January 5, 2018May 21, 2018

Turning Corners with MS: Ocrevus, Biotin, and 2018

Columns, MS in Motion - a Column by Mike Knight, Ocrevus

Like a lot of people with MS, I took part in the “Great Ocrevus Rush of 2017,” with the fanfare surrounding the release of the first therapy in the ... Read more

December 21, 2017May 21, 2018

The MS Alphabet: Optic Neuritis, Occupational Therapy, and Other ‘O’ Words

Columns, MS in Moderation – a Column by Tamara Sellman, Ocrevus

Editor’s note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this column referencing terms starting with the letter “O.” Symptoms of MS Optic neuritis This is ... Read more

December 15, 2017May 21, 2018

Ocrevus’ Use Continues Rising, with RRMS Patients Receiving the Most Attention

Lemtrada, News, Ocrevus

U.S. neurologists are increasingly prescribing Genentech’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) to their multiple sclerosis patients, Spherix Global Insights reports. Another good sign for Genentech is that, in just three months, neurologists have ... Read more

November 28, 2017May 21, 2018

European Neurologists Ready to Use Both Mavenclad and Ocrevus, Survey Shows

News, Ocrevus

Mavenclad has become the multiple sclerosis therapy of choice for one in five neurologists in Germany and the United Kingdom, according to a Spherix Global Insights survey. Meanwhile, many European neurologists are ... Read more

November 14, 2017May 21, 2018

Europe’s CHMP Urges Approval of Ocrevus in EU to Treat Relapsing, Primary Progressive MS

News, Ocrevus

Europeans with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) and early primary progressive MS are one step closer to accessing Ocrevus, now that the European Medicines Agency has urged the European Union to approve the ... Read more

November 9, 2017May 21, 2018

Ocrevus Q&A, Part 2

Columns, Engaging Thoughts – a Column by Laura Kolaczkowski, Ocrevus

Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on readers’ comments about Ocrevus (ocrelizumab). Read part one here. Last week, I responded to a few comments on ... Read more

November 2, 2017May 21, 2018

Ocrevus Q&A, Part 1

Columns, Engaging Thoughts – a Column by Laura Kolaczkowski, Ocrevus

Editor’s Note: First in a two-part series on readers’ comments about Ocrevus (ocrelizumab). I switched disease-modifying therapies and began treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in June. I previously wrote about my ... Read more

October 31, 2017May 21, 2018

#MSParis2017 – Ocrevus Trial Data May Lead to Key Biomarkers of Chronic Inflammation, Genentech Says

News, Ocrevus

Potential new ways of capturing disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients — including those with chronic as opposed to active inflammation — are coming to the fore as ... Read more

October 31, 2017May 21, 2018

#MSParis2017 – T-cell vs. B-cell Debate More Meeting of Minds Than ‘Rumble in the Jungle’

News, Ocrevus

News commentary One particular session on Day 2 of the four-day 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS Meeting — which drew 10,000 researchers, doctors, industry representatives, and patient advocates to hear about ... Read more

October 31, 2017May 21, 2018

#MSParis2017 – Scant Difference Seen in Inflammatory Response to Ocrevus or Rituxan in Small Study

News, Ocrevus

Both Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) and Rituxan (rituximab) trigger a similar release of inflammatory mediators after a first infusion, with little difference seen in infusion reactions among a small group of multiple ... Read more

October 27, 2017May 21, 2018

#MSParis2017 – Ocrevus Improves Relapsing MS Patients’ Vision Better Than Interferon, Trials Show

News, Ocrevus

Genentech’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) improved the vision of people with relapsing multiple sclerosis better than the widely used therapy interferon beta-1a, according to clinical trial findings presented at the 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS ... Read more