Journal of Multiple Sclerosis

A Comprehensive Review of the Long-Term Effectiveness and Safety of Ocrelizumab as a Disease-Modifying Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis

Johnny Michael Sakr*

Multiple Sclerosis (‘MS’) is a chronic neurological disorder characterised by immune-mediated damage to the central nervous system. Ocrelizumab (‘OCR’) is a novel disease-modifying therapy that has shown promising results in the treatment of MS. However, limited evidence exists on its longterm effectiveness and safety profile. This review is aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of OCR treatment in patients with MS.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies, including clinical trials, observational studies, and real-world data. Eligible studies were assessed for quality and data were extracted for analysis. The primary outcomes of interest included the long-term effectiveness of OCR in terms of relapse rates, disability progression, and quality of life, as well as its safety profile regarding adverse events and treatment-related risks.

The findings from eight included studies indicated that OCR demonstrated sustained effectiveness in reducing relapse rates and disability progression over the long term. Furthermore, the treatment was associated with improvements in quality of life measures. However, concerns were raised regarding the occurrence of certain adverse events, particularly infections and infusion-related reactions. Subgroup analyses suggested that certain patient characteristics, such as age and disease severity, may influence treatment response and safety outcomes.

These findings shed light on the long-term effectiveness and safety of OCR as a Disease-Modifying Therapy (‘DMT’) for MS. They support OCR's role in reducing relapses and slowing disease progression while emphasizing the importance of DMT monitoring for adverse events. Further research is needed to optimize DMT selection and patient management.