NHS rolls out new multiple sclerosis injection that cuts treatment time by 90%

NHS England has announced it will be rolling out a new ten-minute injection for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) that can help slow the progression of disability and cut treatment time in hospital by more than 90%.

In an announcement on 12 July 2024, NHS England said that around 9,000 patients currently receiving ocrelizumab (Ocrevus; Roche), a disease-modifying therapy for patients with active relapsing or primary progressive MS, will now be able to receive the drug through a ten-minute ‘under-the-skin’ injection.

The treatment, which is usually given via twice-yearly intravenous (IV) infusions, can currently take up to four hours to administer.

MS is a progressive autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that is estimated to affect more than 150,000 people in the UK, including more than 120,000 people in England.

It is a life-long disease that can cause a range of symptoms, such as fatigue, difficulty walking, vision problems and muscle stiffness and spams. Disease-modifying therapies can help to reduce relapses and slow down progression of the disease.

Ocrelizumab has been shown to be highly effective at reducing the chance of having a relapse and slowing the progression of MS by targeting a specific type of immune cell.

The active ingredient ocrelizumab was first approved in IV form in 2018 by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for relapsing remitting MS and granted further approval for primary progression MS in 2019.

In a statement, also published on 12 July 2024, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced that it had approved the new subcutaneous injection of ocrelizumab to treat relapsing forms of MS and primary progressive MS in adults.

NHS England’s announcement said: “Clinical trials have shown the injection is just as effective as the IV treatment, with 97% of patients experiencing no relapses in their condition and no development of brain lesions over 48 weeks.

“The NHS will be one of the first healthcare systems in the world to offer the new injection”, with stock of the drug set to be available in the “coming weeks.”

Commenting on the announcement, Ceri Smith, head of policy at the MS Society, said: “We welcome the decision to license injections as a new method of delivering ocrelizumab (Ocrevus).

“Over 150,000 people live with MS in the UK, and many of them rely on disease-modifying treatments like ocrelizumab to help reduce MS relapses.

“This method will expand the choices available to many MS patients and will mean more people can receive this treatment in a way that suits them.”

Shirley Hopper, deputy director of innovative medicines, said: “We’re assured that the appropriate regulatory standards of safety, quality and effectiveness for the approval of this new formulation have been met. As with all products, we will keep its safety under close review.”

Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director at the NHS, said: “This new injection will drastically cut the time that regular treatment takes for those living with MS, meaning that thousands of patients can spend less time in hospital while helping free up clinicians’ time to see more patients as well as vital capacity on wards.

“Ocrelizumab has represented a huge advance in care in recent years as the first drug able to change the course of the disease, and we hope this innovative and speedier option will now make another significant difference in improving patients’ quality of life.”