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    Ofatumumab Update

    Ofatumumab targets the same cells for depletion as Ocrelizumab and Rituximab, but it's not an infusion medication. Instead ofatumumab is self-injected monthly under the skin.

    Another advantage is that “ofatumumab is a fully human antibody molecule unlike a chimeric or humanized molecule that has some mouse protein,” as do Ocrevus and rituximab. It’s argued that this could potentially lower the chance that patients will develop antibodies against the medicine, known as anti-drug antibodies, which decrease a treatment’s effectiveness over time.

    “Ofatumumab shuts down new focal inflammatory activity nearly completely. It reduces relapse-independent disability progression, and at least in the clinical trial data to date, it has a very favorable safety profile. I believe that clinicians should consider the use of highly effective therapy with an agent like ofatumumab very early in the disease course,” said Hauser, who is a professor of neurology and the director of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Weill Institute for Neurosciences.

    Furthermore, “even though these three monoclonal antibodies, and a fourth called ublituximab, currently in development, are all targeting CD20, they target different regions of the CD20 molecule and neutralize B-cells in overlapping but different ways. So these drugs are not true biosimilars and should not be assumed to be equivalent,” Hauser said.


    Full article: https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.c...tumumab-data/?

    #2
    Prior to COVID19, Ofatumumab was expected to be FDA approved for treatment of MS around June. It's anyone's guess what, if any, impact COVID19 will have on pending FDA approvals.

    Since Ofatumumab is already an approved medication hopefully it won't slip dates too much.

    Similar to Rituximab and Ocrelizumab, Ofatumumab depletes b-cells, but in a different way. Being fully human (rituximab is chimeric, Ocrelizumab is humanized) should dramatically reduce neutralizing antibodies from being generated. Infusion side effects are completely gone since Ofatumumab is a self-administered monthly injection.

    Just a few years ago we had ABC or CRAB drugs and now we're on the verge of having two dozen options.

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      #3
      Thanks for the update, Marco.

      Will be nice to have another alternative other than an infusion. For some of us, going to a infusion center for treatment presents it's own challenges!
      Kimba

      “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ― Max Planck

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        #4
        Is the report saying it will be as good as ocrevus?
        God Bless Us All

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          #5
          Originally posted by REG53 View Post
          Is the report saying it will be as good as ocrevus?
          It was compared head to head against aubagio and it was a landslide victory for Ofatumumab.

          Ofatumumab binds differently to the CD20, just like Ocrelizumab and Rituximab. I'm not sure we'll ever see a head-to-head comparison because there's simply no purpose in spending $100+ million to find out. All three medications (and more on the way) are all very capable of reducing your b-cells to zero.

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            #6
            As expected, the approval window for Ofatumumab has been extended by the FDA.
            The new target is now September 2020.

            That means I need to get at least one more rituximab infusion before considering a break to Arzerra (Ofatumumab).

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              #7
              My next Ocrevus infusion is next month and I am going to talk to NP about Ofatumumab. The only trouble I have is the cost. My Medicare part B covers Ocrevus and I think Ofatumumab would be covered by part D, if that is the case I would not be able to afford it because it would put me in the donut hole as did Tecfidara.
              God Bless Us All

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                #8
                Reg53, you brought up the subject I was going to..cost ?? My guess is it will be difficult to handle
                Linda

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by lindaincolorado View Post
                  Reg53, you brought up the subject I was going to..cost ?? My guess is it will be difficult to handle

                  Q. What will Kesimpta cost?

                  A. The wholesale acquisition price of Kesimpta has been announced as $83,000 per year.

                  Of course, there's no infusion center cost like for Ocrelizumab.

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