'Pioneering data' bring hope for better MS treatment

Positive Phase III results of Swiss pharma giant Roche’s (SIX: ROG) Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Ocrevus is the first and only investigational medicine to show superior efficacy versus comparators in both relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) in clinical studies.

It has been the subject of three Phase III trials – Opera I and II in RMS and the Oratorio study in PPMS. Data from the studies showed consistent and clinically meaningful reductions in major markers of disease activity and progression compared with Rebif (interferon beta-1a) in RMS and with placebo in PPMS.