Ocrevus Cancels RRMS Patient’s Immunity to Chickenpox Virus, Case Study Finds

[KoKo]

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) eliminated the immunity, acquired through vaccination, to the varicella-zoster virus — the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles — in a man with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a case study reported.

Its authors recommended that MS patients being treated with Ocrevus be retested for immunity against the varicella-zoster virus.

Ocrevus (developed by Genentech) is an antibody-based therapy approved for patients with relapsing MS and primary progressive MS (PPMS). It is designed to suppress immune system attacks on the myelin sheath, the coating that protects nerve fibers.

The treatment targets mature B-cells, a type of immune cell that produces a protein called CD20 on its surface. While depleting mature B-cells, Ocrevus has been shown to preserve the ability to generate new B-cells as well as maintain pre-existing immunity acquired from previous infections or vaccinations.

But evidence shows that some patients given vaccines to protect against the influenza virus or pneumococcal bacteria lose such immunity after Ocrevus treatment.

https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.c...t-case-report/

[Seasha]

Thanks, KoKo. Interesting study. Let's hope when the Covid vaccine eventually arrives, this doesn't also hold true!

[oceanpride]

Thanks KOKO for the info. We’ll no doubt learn more as the years go on After my last infusion I feel like My progression has finally slowed a bit. But at what cost ?

[KoKo]

After my last infusion I feel like My progression has finally slowed a bit.

Oceanpride ~

I'm glad for you that Ocrevus may be slowing the progression. Hope it continues to be successful for you.

But at what cost ?

True, there are more things being learned about Ocrevus, such as how it affects vaccine immunity, but so far the researchers say only in some, not everybody.

Maybe most on Ocrevus won't be affected in this way, which would be a good thing.