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    Ocrelizumab ?

    I am wondering where the development of this drug has gone! The last news item that I saw was about the drug causing some deaths. Then, no other news! What's up ? I hope that this reaches some PPMSer's and SPMSer's that have similar interests in this stuff !

    #2
    I'm rrms and I have a lot of interest since my neuro is going to put me on it when fda approves it. My understanding is, it will be approved in Dec.2016. Where did you read about some deaths?
    God Bless Us All

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      #3
      Ocrelizumab was originally developed as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. During trials, a few patients developed infections and died. It was decided that RA patients weren't willing to risk death from a treatment drug, so the manufacturer abandoned it as a treatment for RA.

      The manufacturer recognized through the history of Tysabri that MS patients are willing to risk death from a drug. Coupled with the favorable results experienced by some patients with RRMS, the manufacturer quickly switched the target audience for ocrelizumab to people with MS. Fortunately, no patients with MS died during the clinical trial.

      One thing that's being overlooked about ocrelizumab is that its predecessor, Rituxan, was tested in PPMS and was, overall, no more effective than placebo. In PPMS, it was found that 1) younger patients with 2) inflammatory activity did slightly better as a subgroup.

      The only difference between ocrelizumab and rituxumab is the source of the antibody. Yet somehow, the results for ocrelizumab in PPMS were better. So it remains to be seen whether that was a statistical fluke, a result of deliberate subject choice, a direct result of using human cells as a source, or something else.

      This drug isn't that much different from the one that led to several deaths and was not effective in PPMS. In spite of how neat and tidy the clinical trial for PPMS was, I think we all should be prepared for the possibility that older PPMS patients who don't have active, inflammatory disease will get no benefit from ocrelizumab -- and that will be after they have several doses and gotten their hopes up unrealistically high. And I think we should be prepared for the possibility that some MS patients may die from infections.

      In RRMS, rituxumab appears to have many successes. Being that ocrelizumab is similar, it's realistic to expect that we should see similar results.

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        #4
        Hi Jerry-
        I wrote down the word "ocrelizumab" on a piece of paper to ask my neurologist about it at my regular visit. He gave me the "meh" face and a two second explanation (I guess I was waiting fir his eyes to pop out of his head or something).

        I am old, so the latest, greatest treatments are probably not for me, anyway, BUT I hope and pray for my daughter and her generation. Since I am a member of an MS Cluster Family, my nieces and nephews are scared of not only developing MS themselves, they worry about starting their own families. I think that stinks!
        Tawanda
        ___________________________________________
        Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 2004; First sign of trouble: 1994

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          #5
          Thanks for the responses. everyone ! I was hoping to hear much more encouraging news ! Oh well. Back to the wishing well ! Good luck

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            #6
            What sticks out to me with this medication is the reported reduction in brain atrophy. Brain atrophy in all subtypes of MS should be a target, imo.

            http://www.neurology.org/content/86/...ement/S49.003I

            I recently saw a MS specialist present, not at a pharm sponsored activity, and was most intrigued by Lemtrada/Alemtuzumab. At present it is for RRMS and my understanding is its a 5 day course IV then 1 year later 3 day course which is intended to reduce circulating T&B cells then slowly repopulate. Like hitting a reset button. 80% stable or minor improvement, which is novel, the rates of brain atrophy were more in line with normal controls. However like anything involving the immune system there is the consideration of risks vs benefits.

            **Moderator's Note: URL gives message "content not found". Please try again.
            He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
            Anonymous

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              #7
              Originally posted by Jules A View Post
              What sticks out to me with this medication is the reported reduction in brain atrophy. Brain atrophy in all subtypes of MS should be a target, imo.

              http://www.neurology.org/content/86/...ement/S49.003I

              I recently saw a MS specialist present, not at a pharm sponsored activity, and was most intrigued by Lemtrada/Alemtuzumab. At present it is for RRMS and my understanding is its a 5 day course IV then 1 year later 3 day course which is intended to reduce circulating T&B cells then slowly repopulate. Like hitting a reset button. 80% stable or minor improvement, which is novel, the rates of brain atrophy were more in line with normal controls. However like anything involving the immune system there is the consideration of risks vs benefits.

              **Moderator's Note: URL gives message "content not found". Please try again.
              http://www.neurology.org/content/86/...lement/S49.003
              Try this?
              He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
              Anonymous

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