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A plain-language summary of the cited sources below. Informational only — not medical advice.
Ocrelizumab is a treatment for multiple sclerosis, a condition where the body's immune system attacks the protective covering around nerves. It works by targeting and reducing a specific type of immune cell called B-cells, which are thought to contribute to nerve damage in MS. The medication is given as an intravenous infusion—meaning it's delivered directly into a vein over a period of time in a clinical setting—and stays active in the body for about 26 days after each dose.
The medication is prescribed to slow the worsening of physical disability in people with relapsing forms of MS (where symptoms flare up and then improve) and in people with primary progressive MS (where symptoms gradually worsen over time). It may also reduce how often relapses occur in people with the relapsing form.
During or after the infusion, your family member may experience infusion-related reactions, which can include symptoms like fever, headache, or feeling unwell. Upper respiratory infections are also common—things like colds, sinus infections, flu, or throat infections. These are the most frequently reported side effects.
More serious risks involve infections that can become severe. Because ocrelizumab reduces certain immune cells, your family member's ability to fight off infections is weakened. This includes pneumonia (including less common types caused by specific organisms), shingles that spreads beyond a small area, tuberculosis, and other infections. In rare cases, some of these infections have been fatal. There have also been reports of liver injury and immune-mediated colitis, which is inflammation of the bowel caused by immune system activity.
Ocrelizumab cannot be given if your family member has a current active infection, a known cancer, or is already severely immunocompromised. It's also contraindicated if they've had a serious allergic reaction to the medication or any of its ingredients in the past.
Multiple sclerosis Clinical criteria: Treatment Phase: Initial treatment The condition must be diagnosed as clinically definite relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis by magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and/or spinal cord; OR The condition must be diagnosed as clinically definite relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis by accompanying written certification provided by a radiologist that a magnetic resonance imaging scan is contraindicated because of the risk of physical (not psychological) injury to the patient, AND The treatment must be the sole PBS-subsidised disease modifying therapy for this condition, AND Patient must have experienced at least 2 documented attacks of neurological dysfunction, believed to be due to multiple sclerosis, in the preceding 2 years of commencing a PBS-subsidised disease modifying therapy for this condition, AND Patient must be ambulatory (without assistance or support). Treatment criteria: Must be treated by a neurologist. Where applicable, the date of the magnetic resonance imaging scan must be recorded in the patient's medical records.
“Ocrelizumab is a recombinant humanised monoclonal antibody that selectively targets CD20-expressing B-cells.”
“The terminal elimination half-life was 26 days.”
“No formal drug interaction studies have been performed as no drug interactions are expected via CYP and other metabolising enzymes or transporters.”
A plain-language summary of the cited sources below. Informational only — not medical advice.
Ocrelizumab is a recombinant humanised monoclonal antibody that selectively targets CD20-expressing B-cells. It is indicated for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis to delay the progression of physical disability and reduce the frequency of relapse, and for primary progressive multiple sclerosis to delay the progression of physical disability. The terminal elimination half-life is 26 days.
No formal drug interaction studies have been performed as no interactions are expected via CYP enzymes or other metabolising enzymes and transporters. Infusion-related reactions are recognised, as are upper respiratory tract infections, nasopharyngitis, influenza, and sinusitis. Serious infections including atypical pneumonia, pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, varicella pneumonia, tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, and disseminated herpes have been reported; in rare cases some of these infections were fatal. Liver injury and immune-mediated colitis are also recognised as serious adverse effects. Ocrelizumab is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to ocrelizumab or excipients, current active infection, severely immunocompromised state, or known active malignancies.
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Curated subset. The full adverse-effect list is in the TGA Product Information; click any citation above to open it.