Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is a brand-name prescription medication. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it to treat certain types of multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults. Specifically, Ocrevus can be used to treat the following conditions:
- primary progressive MS
- clinically isolated syndrome
- relapsing-remitting MS
- active secondary progressive MS
Ocrevus comes as a solution that your doctor or another healthcare professional will give you as an IV infusion.
Ocrevus is a biologic drug that belongs to a drug class called CD20-directed cytolytic antibodies.
At this time, Ocrevus is only available as a brand-name medication. Currently, there’s no biosimilar form of Ocrevus.
Dosage summary
The following chart summarizes Ocrevus’s dosage. Your doctor will determine the dosage that’s best for you.
| Ocrevus form | Strength | Typical starting dosage | Typical maintenance dosage |
| solution for IV infusion | 300 milligrams (mg) per 10 milliliters (mL) of solution | 300 mg IV given once, then 300 mg IV given 2 weeks later | 600 mg IV given every 6 months |
Your healthcare professional will dilute the medication before they give it to you. For information about the dosing and administration of Ocrevus, keep reading. For a comprehensive look at Ocrevus, see this article.
Your doctor will recommend the best dosage of Ocrevus for your condition. Below is the typical recommended dosage for this medication.
Ocrevus form
Ocrevus comes as a solution that your doctor or another healthcare professional will give you as an IV infusion.
Ocrevus strength
Ocrevus comes in one strength: 300 milligrams (mg) per 10 milliliters (mL) of solution.
Typical dosage
Typically, your doctor will recommend that you take a starting dose of Ocrevus. After completing a starting dose, you’ll need to take a maintenance dose every 6 months.
The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosing regimen to fit your needs.
Dosage for multiple sclerosis (MS)
The recommended dosage of Ocrevus for primary progressive MS, clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS, and active secondary progressive MS are the same.
If you’re receiving Ocrevus, your first dose will be an IV infusion of 300 mg. Then, you will receive a second infusion dose of 300 mg 2 weeks later.
After completing the two starting doses, you will need to get a 600 mg dose of Ocrevus once every 6 months. Your doctor may adjust your dose depending on side effects, such as infusion reactions.
Before starting treatment with Ocrevus, your doctor will discuss your dosing schedule and dosing frequency with you. If you have additional questions about your Ocrevus infusion dosage, talk with your doctor.
Long-term treatment
Ocrevus is meant to be a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Ocrevus is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely take it long term.
If you miss your appointment to receive your dose of Ocrevus, reschedule it as soon as possible. Do not wait until the next scheduled dose.
Your doses of Ocrevus should be at least 5 months apart. So, if you miss a dose, it’s possible that you may also need to revise your dosing schedule to make sure the next dose is given 6 months after the missed dose.
If you miss a dose of Ocrevus and have questions about when you should reschedule your appointment, talk with your doctor.
To help make sure that you don’t miss a dose, try using a medication reminder. This can include setting an alarm or using a timer. You could also download a reminder app on your phone.
Ocrevus is given as an IV infusion by your doctor or another healthcare professional. An IV infusion is an injection given over a period of time.
Your first two doses of Ocrevus will be 300 milligrams (mg) each. You’ll get your initial infusions 2 weeks apart. Each infusion will take about 2.5 hours or more. After you complete your first two doses of Ocrevus, you’ll receive an Ocrevus maintenance dose of 600 mg every 6 months. This dose may take 2 to 3.5 hours or more, depending on how it’s given.
In some cases, such as if you have a reaction to Ocrevus, your doctor may recommend slowing down your infusion rate. This means that your Ocrevus dose may take longer.
In addition, your doctor will recommend that you take medications before receiving Ocrevus to prevent these reactions from occurring. Your doctor will recommend taking a steroid medication, such as Medrol (methylprednisolone), and an antihistamine, such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine), before getting your dose of Ocrevus.
Sometimes, your doctor may also recommend that you take a fever reducer, such as acetaminophen, before getting your dose of Ocrevus.
After your infusion, your doctor or another healthcare professional will monitor you for 1 hour to be sure that you don’t experience any reactions.
The dosages in this article are typical dosages provided by the drug manufacturer. If your doctor recommends Ocrevus for you, they will prescribe the dosage that’s right for you.
If you have questions about the dosage of Ocrevus that’s best for you, talk with your doctor.
Besides learning about dosage, you may want other information about Ocrevus. These additional articles might be helpful to you:
- More about Ocrevus. For information about other aspects of Ocrevus, refer to this article.
- Side effects. To learn about side effects of Ocrevus, see this article. You can also look at the Ocrevus prescribing information.
- Drug comparison. Find out how Ocrevus compares with Lemtrada or Rituxan.
- Details about your condition. For details about multiple sclerosis (MS), see our MS hub and list of MS articles.
Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
