US Pharm. 2010;35(11)(Oncology suppl):17.
Genentech, Inc., and Biogen Idec announced 24-week results from a phase II study of ocrelizumab in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), the most common form of the disease. Significant reductions in total number of brain lesions detected by MRI scans, the study's primary end point, were highly significant at 96% for 2,000-mg ocrelizumab and 89% for 600-mg ocrelizumab compared to placebo.
Patients with RRMS suffer from relapses and disabling symptoms caused by nerve damage, which can significantly affect their quality of life. Disease activity was also measured by reduction in the annualized relapse rate (ARR), the rate of attacks or flare-ups per patient-year. At Week 24, ARR was significantly lowered versus placebo with a reduction of 73% for ocrelizumab 2,000 mg and 80% for ocrelizumab 600 mg.
"These efficacy results are amongst the most remarkable seen in a phase II RRMS study, and show that ocrelizumab may have the potential to offer benefits to patients with this disease," said Prof. Ludwig Kappos, lead investigator of the study, from the Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
