Roche Pharma launches new drug for multiple sclerosis treatment in India

Roche Pharma India on Tuesday announced the launch of Ocrevus, its disease-modifying therapy (DMT) drug for multiple sclerosis in India.

Commenting on the launch, V Simpson Emmanuel, chief executive officer and managing director, Roche Pharma India said that the launch of Ocrevus in India underscores our commitment to providing innovative solutions to address the burden of neurological disorders, which is set to grow significantly.

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune and progressive neurological disease, which affects the central nervous system of the body, that is the spinal cord and brain.

Speaking on the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in India, Viraj Suvarna, chief medical officer, Roche Pharma India said that around 2.3 million people are affected by multiple sclerosis in India, most of whom fall in the age group of 20 to 40 years of age.

With the launch of the new drug, the global pharma company hopes to expand its neurology portfolio and cater to the untapped need of patients facing the disease in India.

The drug was first launched in the United States of America in March 2017 and has since been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Commenting on the efficacy of the drug, Suvarna said that Ocrevus is the only monoclonal antibody drug approved for treatment of both kinds of multiple sclerosis - Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) and Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS), according to clinical and real-world data.

“Over 80 per cent of people with RRMS and 33 per cent of people with PPMS treated with Ocrevus showed no signs of disability progression,” he added.

Suvarna claimed that patients using it have a high persistence and superior adherence to treatment due to its twice-a-year (once every six months) dosing, which is more preferable compared to more frequent monthly injections.

The company is now conducting Phase 4 trials to check the drug safety and efficacy for expecting mothers and lactating women.

While the company refused to speak on the price of the drug in India, Dr Joy Dev Mukherji, principal director and head of department, Neurology, Max Super Speciality Hospital said that the drug is safer than others used for multiple sclerosis but can be prohibitively expensive due to the research that has gone into the therapy.

“The main priority should be making it available to patients living with multiple sclerosis, which can be done by making insurance companies cover the cost of critical illness treatments,” he added.

Addressing the issue of inclusion, Sandeep Chitnis, honorary secretary, Multiple Sclerosis Society of India (MSSI) said that the body is working with several state governments to classify multiple sclerosis as a ‘rare disease’. “This will help to make such treatment available to families living below the poverty line,” he said.