A new drug that is the first and only disease modifying therapy for both primary progressive and relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) is giving new hope for hundreds of thousands of Americans living with the disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug for use in the U.S. in late March.

Neurologists at Rush University Medical Center are the first in Illinois and one of only a handful of centers in the U.S. to treat patients with the new intravenous infusion drug called Ocrevus, which is also known as ocrelizumab.

“This is the first time in history of medicine and neurology where a drug therapy can treat both forms of the disease, including relapsing–remitting MS and the more severe primary progressive MS,” said Dr. Dusan Stefoski, neurologist and director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Rush. “Ocrevus has been hailed by researchers and physicians as a game–changer with the potential to lead to new avenues of treatment for other diseases as well,” Stefoski said.

Ocrevus is given to patients through an infusion every six months.

“Another advantage is that Ocrevus is overall quite easy to tolerate. After the initial two infusions, which are administered two weeks apart,” Stefoski said. “Subsequent infusions are once every six months.”

The efficacy of Ocrevus for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS was shown in two clinical trials in 1,656 participants treated for 96 weeks. Both studies compared Ocrevus to interferon beta–1a (Rebif), which is another MS drug. In both studies, the patients receiving Ocrevus had reduced relapse rates and reduced worsening of disability compared to the other drug therapy.

In a study of primary progressive MS in 732 participants treated for at least 120 weeks, those receiving Ocrevus showed a significantly longer time to the worsening of disability compared to placebo.