A monoclonal antibody to CD20.
Trade name Ocrevus.
Administered by intravenous infusion
It targets CD20 marker on B lymphocytes and hence is an immunosuppressive drug.
Ocrelizumab binds to an epitope that overlaps with the epitope to which rituximab binds.
When it binds to CD20 it kills B cells by causing antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and, to a lesser extent, complement-dependent cytotoxicity.
Approved as a treatment for multiple sclerosis.
The first FDA approved drug for the primary progressive form of MS.
Given as 2 insufions/year.
Used to treat relapsing or primary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis.
Should not be used in people with hepatitis B infection.
Use should be delayed until any infection present has resolved.
Has not been tested in pregnant women.
It is excreted in breast milk and effects on infants are unknown.
The most common adverse events were infusion reactions including itchy skin, rash, hives, flushing, throat and mouth irritation, fever, fatigue, nausea, rapid heart beating, headache, and dizziness.
Severe reactions include systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and rates of cancer were three times higher (2.3% vs 0.8%) in people taking the drug than people taking placebo.
Clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus were halted because rates of serious infections were too high.
There is an increased risk of infections of all kinds.
More patients taking ocrelizumab got infections than people taking Interferon beta-1a did, including upper and lower respiratory infections, herpes, and hepatitis B reactivation.
The risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, is also increased.
There is an increased risk of breast cancer.
Ocrelizumab is an immunosuppresive drug; it binds to CD20, which is selectively made by B cells, and [1][5]