Ocrevus Seen in Phase 3 Trials to Benefit Both Primary Progressive and Relapsing MS Patients

                                                                  

Recently published data from three Phase 3 trials of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) show that the investigational drug does what no other therapy has achieved so far — working to prevent disease in both relapsing and primary progressive (PP) forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Publications in the New England Journal of Medicine show that all three studies reached their main goals. In the case of relapsing MS, that meant effectively lowering relapse rates, and for PPMS, slowing the progression of disability.

The two identical OPERA I and OPERA II trials (NCT01247324 and NCT01412333) in relapsing MS were covered in the article “Ocrelizumab versus Interferon Beta-1a in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis,” and the ORATORIO (NCT01194570) study in PPMS was described in the article “Ocrelizumab versus Placebo in Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.”

In relapsing MS, the trials showed that treatment with Ocrevus, a B-cell depleting drug, was superior to treatment with Rebif (interferon beta-1a), with a 46% and 47% relative reduction in the annualized relapse rate in the two trials. In the PPMS trial, the drug was compared to placebo.

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