Ashish Pradhan, MD, Executive Director and Disease Area Lead for MS and NMOSD at Genentech, discusses long-term data of ocrelizumab for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). This data was presented at ECTRIMS 2021 Annual Meeting.
RMS and PPMS are two of four types of multiple sclerosis, a demyelinating disease in which symptoms may occur in isolated attacks (in relapsing types) or build up over time (in progressive types). RMS is characterized by unpredictable relapses followed by periods of months to years of remission with no new signs of disease activity. PPMS is characterized by disability progression, with no, or only occasional and minor, remissions and improvements.
As Dr. Padhan explains, the data presented at ECTRIMS 2021 Annual Meeting from three open label extension studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of ocrelizumab in RMS (NCT01247324 and NCT01412333) and PPMS patients (NCT01194570) showed that long-term ocrelizumab treatment continues to demonstrate sustained reduction in disability progression and suppression of disease activity.
Further, earlier intervention with ocrelizumab resulted in a 35% reduction in the risk of patients with RMS needing a walking aid over 7.5 years compared with patients who switched from interferon beta-1a to ocrelizumab after the 96-week double-blind period (5.2% vs. 7.0%, respectively; P = .034). Data also showed that switching from interferon beta-1a to ocrelizumab at the start of the open-label extension period was associated with a rapid and robust reduction in annualized relapse rate (ARR) that was maintained through the 5.5-year open-label extension period. ARR was 0.2 pre-switch, 0.1 after one year of ocrelizumab treatment, and 0.03 after 5.5 years of ocrelizumab treatment in the OLE. ocrelizumab continuers maintained a low ARR of 0.03 after 7.5 years of ocrelizumab treatment.
Earlier intervention with ocrelizumab resulted in a 29% reduction in 48-week confirmed disability progression (CDP) in patients with PPMS over eight years compared with patients who switched to ocrelizumab from placebo after the double-blind period of at least 120 weeks (P = .001). A 24% reduced risk of recurrent 48-week CDP was seen in patients who were continuously treated with ocrelizumab compared with those who switched from placebo P = .005). Many people with PPMS eventually transition into a wheelchair; therefore, maintaining the ability to use their hands and arms is important for these patients. Upper limb disability progression, measured by the nine-hole peg test (9-HPT), was also reduced in patients who were continuously treated with ocrelizumab compared with those who switched from placebo (P = .002).
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Reference
Genentech [news release]. New Data up to 8-Years for Genentech’s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) Show Early and Ongoing Treatment Significantly Reduced Risk of Requiring a Walking Aid in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis and Disability Progression in Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. October 12, 2021. https://www.gene.com/media/press-releases/14932/2021-10-12/new-data-up-to-8-years-for-genentechs-oc