Neurológia pre prax 5/2018

Ocrelizumab – pharmacoloical profile

Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 28th March 2017 for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and primarily progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) approved immunomodulatory treatment. European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended 10th November 2017 OCR for the treatment of adult RRMS patients and early primary progressive MS patients in the European Union (EU) countries. In the Czech Republic, OCR was registered on 8th January 2017. The treatment is focused on mature B lymphocytes, immune cells expressing the protein CD20 molecule on their surface. It is believed that these CD20-positive B-lymphocytes are directed against the axons and myelin of healthy neurons, initiating a cascade of immune responses that lead to their damage and consequently to the disability in MS patients. This new view on MS pathogenesis was supported by evidence from a phase III, OPERA I, OPERA II and ORATORIO clinical trial.

Keywords: ocrelizumab, relapse remitting MS, primary progressive MS, B-lymphocytes, CD20, biological treatment