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@Mel93 

Last reply

Mel93

Switching from Natilizumab to Ocrelizumab

I have been on Natilizumab for 7 years now with no side effects and only one relapse 3 years ago. It worked and I only went every 6weeks so felt little distruption to my day-day life. The day has come where I have tested positive for the JCV virus and have to come off. I am about to start the on Ocrelizumab but I am nervous as the side effects and symptoms seem higher than on Nat. I also read their is a PML risk with Ocrelizumab too. Anyone else done the switch due to JCV?
Dunedin, New Zealand
7
@Andrew819
@Andrew819
 

Haven't started the ocrevus yet but yeah same thing for me 10 years on tysabri with little side effects to non at all, hope it works out good

1
@doyles2
@doyles2
 

Hi - I did the switch due to JCV about four years ago. Zero difficulties with the switch and I've had zero side effects with either Ocrevus or Tysabri. Ocrevus is a bit less of an interruption into your life as you only need to go in every six months and depending on the speed at which your B cells reconstitute themselves you might be able to leave it for longer. Bad news is that after about six years on Ocrelizumab people start be at a gradually higher risk of infections, so it might not be a treatment for the rest of your life. I think there's a good bit of information available on both the gaps you can have between infusions and on the long-term risk from Ocrevus or other B-cell depleters (Kesimpta, Rituximab, etc). Dr. Brandon Beaber has a number of Youtube videos on the topic that are fairly accessible - here's one on gaps between Ocrevus infusions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifV5OwPpXuk and one on long term risks from B-cell depleters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iww4vbMxHAE Off the top of my head, I can't remember what the link between Ocrevus and PML is but I do remember seeing something about it so you can probably dig it up in a search (do please share here if you find anything). Short answer to your question - I found it to be an easy transition and each drug had a similar (miniscule) set of side effects in my particular case.