'Ocrevus' for multiple sclerosis available at hospitals

Passed the drug committees (DC) of medical institutes, including Samsung Medical Center in Seoul

Reimbursable since March…included rapidly 10 months after obtaining approval

Product photo of Ocrevus

The new drug 'Ocrevus' for treating multiple sclerosis is becoming available at general hospitals.

 

According to sources, Roche Korea's Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), the treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS), has passed drug committees of tertiary general hospitals, including Samsung Medical Center, Seoul National University, Asan Medical Center in Seoul, and Sinchon Severance Hospital, and medical institutes, including Chonnam National University Hospital and Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital.

 

Ocrevus is expanding its prescription areas after being included in the insurance reimbursement list in March.

 

Ocrevus is a drug that targets B-cells expressing CD20, which affects the demyelination causing neurological disorder in patients with multiple sclerosis.

 

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease in which the myelin sheaths are damaged due to autoimmune inflammatory responses.

 

Damages to the myelin sheaths cause muscle weakening, fatigue, and vision impairment, and the disease could lead to atraumatic disorders.

 

As of 2022, there are approximately 2674 patients with multiple sclerosis in South Korea, and people aged 20-40 account for 62% of all patients.

 

Until now, antibody medications such as 'Tysabri (natalizumab),' 'Gilenya (fingolimod),' and 'Mabthera (rituximab)' have been used for treating multiple sclerosis.

 

However, there are ongoing requests for new drugs.

 

In overseas, various new drugs were developed, such as Novartis 'Briumvi (ublituximab)' TG Therapeutics 'Kesimpta (ofatumumab).' However, Roche's Ocrevus is the only drug introduced to Korea.

 

Ocrevus has the advantage of administration duration.

 

Ocrevus can be taken once every 6 months, providing greater convenience of administration compared to Kesimpta (administered once a month).

 

The basis of this drug is the Phase 3 OPERA-I and II studies.

 

These trials comparatively evaluated the efficacy and the safety of Ocrevus and Biogen's Plegridy (pegInterferon beta-1a) in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis.

 

In the clinical trials, Ocrevus reduced the annual recurring revenue (ARR) by almost half compared to Plegridy.

 

Specifically, in the OPERA I trial, the ARR of the group treated with Ocrevus for 96 weeks had an ARR of 0.156, compared to 0.292 in the control group.

 

In the OPERA II trial, the ARR of the group treated with Ocrevus for 96 weeks had an ARR of 0.155, which was lower than the 0.290 ARR of the control group.

 

Additionally, in the Phase 3 ORATIORIO clinical trial involving patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), Ocrevus demonstrated effectiveness.

 

In the clinical trial, Ocrevus reduced the confirmed disease progression (CDP) by 24% for 12 weeks compared to the control group.

 

Dr.

 

Ho Jin Kim, Professor of the Department of Neurology at the National Cancer Center, said, "Even a small difference in the early stage of multiple sclerosis has significant cumulative results.

 

Using treatments with higher treatment effects at an earlier stage offers significant benefits.

 

Using these treatments will be helpful in terms of improving the quality of life and reducing the economic cost burden.

 

Ocrevus is useful because of its efficacy and sufficient data regarding long-term administration."