OCREVUS (also known as Ocrelizumab)
Mechanism:
Ocrevus is an antibody that targets CD20 on B lymphocytes which lead to destruction of those problematic cells. Ocrevus was approved in March 2017 by the FDA and is a new tool for a disease like multiple sclerosis (MS), which is thought to be caused by white blood cells attacking the central nervous system.
Indications:
Patients with relapsing or primary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis.
Contraindications:
Patients with active hepatitis B virus infection should not be started on Ocrevus.
Administration:
Ocrevus is typically administered as an infusion. The starting dose is divided into two infusions spread two weeks apart; the initial infusions are administered over 2.5 hours. Subsequent doses are repeated every 6 months; the maintenance infusions are administered over 3.5 hours.