Two subcutaneous injections of 10 minutes each, twice a year. For people with relapsing or primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MRS or PPMS), therapy could be significantly simplified. This is demonstrated by the data presented at the 76th annual congress of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), from 13 to 18 April in Denver, on one of the most innovative molecules in the field of multiple sclerosis, ocrelizumab.
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The drug
Ocrelizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to target CD20-positive B lymphocytes, a specific type of immune cell believed to be one of the major culprits in causing the damage the disease causes to the nervous system. Damage that can cause disability. In its intravenous formulation, ocrelizumab is administered as an infusion every six months, each time with a session that lasts approximately 2 hours. The new formulation, however, uses a proprietary recombinant human PH20 hyaluronidase, an enzyme that locally and temporarily degrades the hyaluronic acid present in the subcutaneous space. In other words it “makes room” for the drug by increasing the permeability of the tissue under the skin. The result is that 10 minutes are enough to administer the therapy.
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I study
The results presented in Denver refer to the phase III Ocarina II study and highlighted that the efficacy of the subcutaneous injection is in line with that of intravenous infusion, demonstrating an almost complete suppression of inflammatory activity (97%) and MRI lesions (97.2%) over the course of 48 weeks.
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“The updated study results further highlight the potential benefits of subcutaneous ocrelizumab for patients with both relapsing and progressive forms of MS,” said Scott Newsome, DO, lead author, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Patients treated with subcutaneous ocrelizumab experienced adequate suppression of B cells and almost complete suppression of inflammatory disease activity. These results demonstrate the potential of subcutaneous ocrelizumab as a therapeutic option capable of meeting the specific needs of people with MS and healthcare professionals.” Subjects