Ocrevus Zunovo interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

Ocrevus Zunovo interactions with other drugs

Before you start treatment with Ocrevus Zunovo, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

To learn whether Ocrevus Zunovo interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Ocrevus Zunovo and other interactions” section.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

The following table lists some drugs that can interact with Ocrevus Zunovo. Keep in mind, this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Ocrevus Zunovo. Some of these interactions are described in detail in “Drug interactions in depth.”

When to avoid Ocrevus Zunovo 

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Ocrevus Zunovo due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. Below are the contraindications of Ocrevus Zunovo.

Note: Before you start treatment with Ocrevus Zunovo, it’s important to tell your doctor if these contraindications apply to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Ocrevus Zunovo.

Having an active hepatitis B infection

If you have an active hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, your doctor typically will not prescribe Ocrevus Zunovo. This is because Ocrevus Zunovo weakens your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight the HBV infection.

Your doctor will test you for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection before you start treatment with Ocrevus Zunovo. If you test positive for active HBV infection, you will likely need to take medication to treat HBV before starting Ocrevus Zunovo treatment.

Having had a life threatening reaction to a past infusion of ocrelizumab

If you had a life threatening reaction to a past infusion of ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) or ocrelizumab and hyaluronidase (Ocrevus Zunovo), you should not have any further infusions of either drug. Taking these drugs again could cause another life threatening reaction. You can talk with your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.

Having had an allergic reaction to Ocrevus Zunovo or any of its ingredients

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Ocrevus Zunovo or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Ocrevus Zunovo. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Ocrevus Zunovo and alcohol

There are no known interactions between Ocrevus Zunovo and alcohol.

If you have questions about drinking alcohol while taking Ocrevus Zunovo, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug interactions in depth  

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Ocrevus Zunovo.

Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids (often called steroids) are drugs that help reduce inflammation. Doctors prescribe them for many different conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS).

Taking Ocrevus Zunovo with high doses or long-term corticosteroids can raise your risk of infections. This is because high doses or long-term corticosteroid treatment can weaken your immune system. Ocrevus Zunovo also weakens your immune system. So combining these treatments can make it harder for your immune system to fight infections.

Here are some corticosteroids that may interact with Ocrevus Zunovo:

• dexamethasone
• hydrocortisone (Cortef)
• methylprednisolone (Medrol)
• prednisone

Steps you or your doctor may take

If your doctor prescribes Ocrevus Zunovo with corticosteroids, they will likely monitor you more closely.

You should tell your doctor if you develop any symptoms of infection during combined treatment. These can include:

• fever
• chills
• cough
• sore throat
• sore, hot, or discolored patches of skin
• skin rash
• burning pain when urinating
• feeling unwell

If you have an infection while taking Ocrevus Zunovo with corticosteroids, your doctor may prescribe medication to treat the infection. If you have an infection when your next dose of Ocrevus Zunovo is due, your doctor may postpone your next dose until after the infection has cleared up.

Immunosuppressants and immune-modulating therapies

Immunosuppressants and immune-modulating therapies are drugs that weaken your immune system. Doctors commonly prescribe these drugs to treat autoimmune conditions, including MS.

Taking Ocrevus Zunovo with immunosuppressants or immune-modulating therapies can raise your risk of infections. This is because all these treatments weaken your immune system. So combining them can make it harder for your immune system to fight infections.

Some of these medications can remain in your body for a long time after you stop taking them. So they can raise your risk of infections for a long time after you stop taking them.

Here are some immunosuppressants and immune-modulating therapies that may interact with Ocrevus Zunovo:

• fingolimod (Gilenya)
• natalizumab (Tysabri)
• teriflunomide (Aubagio)
• mitoxantrone

Steps you or your doctor may take

Your doctor will usually avoid prescribing Ocrevus Zunovo with or soon after other immunosuppressant or immune-modulating therapies. If you’re switching from one of these therapies to Ocrevus Zunovo, your doctor may recommend waiting for a period of time after stopping the other therapy before starting Ocrevus Zunovo. This is to give your immune system time to become stronger.

If your doctor does prescribe Ocrevus Zunovo with, or soon after, other immunosuppressant or immune-modulating therapies, they will likely monitor you more closely. Tell your doctor right away if you develop any symptoms of infection.

Ocrevus Zunovo and other interactions 

Ocrevus Zunovo may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or lab tests.

Here are some potential interactions with Ocrevus Zunovo. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all possible Ocrevus Zunovo interactions.

Ocrevus Zunovo interactions with supplements

It’s possible for drugs to interact with supplements such as vitamins and herbs.

Ocrevus Zunovo interactions with herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Ocrevus Zunovo. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Ocrevus Zunovo treatment.

Ocrevus Zunovo interactions with vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Ocrevus Zunovo. However, that doesn’t mean vitamin interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin product with Ocrevus Zunovo.

Ocrevus Zunovo interactions with food

There were no reports of food interactions with Ocrevus Zunovo. If you’d like to learn more about eating certain foods during treatment with Ocrevus Zunovo, talk with your doctor.

Ocrevus Zunovo interactions with vaccines

Ocrevus Zunovo can interact with all kinds of vaccines.

Live vaccines

Ocrevus Zunovo is known to interact with live vaccines. A live vaccine contains live but weakened pieces of the virus or bacterium it’s meant to defend against. Live vaccines usually won’t cause infection when your immune system is healthy.

But Ocrevus Zunovo works by weakening your immune system. So if you get a live vaccine, your immune system may not be able to fight the virus or bacterium in the vaccine. This may cause you to become sick or develop symptoms of the illness the vaccine aims to prevent.

Live vaccines to avoid during Ocrevus Zunovo treatment include:

• measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
• chickenpox
• the nasal spray form of the flu vaccine (FluMist)

Before starting Ocrevus Zunovo, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about any vaccines you may need. If you need a live vaccine, you should receive it at least 4 weeks before starting Ocrevus Zunovo.

Non-live vaccines

Ocrevus Zunovo is also known to interact with non-live or inactivated vaccines. A non-live vaccine contains inactivated proteins or toxins from the virus or bacterium it’s meant to defend against. These vaccines can’t cause infection, even if Ocrevus Zunovo weakens your immune system.

However, vaccines work by making your immune system produce antibodies against the virus or bacterium the vaccine is meant to defend against. If your immune system is weakened by Ocrevus Zunovo, getting a vaccine may not provoke your immune system to produce enough antibodies. As a result, the vaccine may not effectively protect you from the virus or bacterium it’s meant to defend against.

Examples of non-live vaccines that may be less effective if you get them during treatment with Ocrevus Zunovo include:

• tetanus
• pneumococcal
• COVID-19
• the injected form of the flu vaccine

Before starting Ocrevus Zunovo, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about any vaccines you may need. If you need a non-live vaccine, you should receive it at least 2 weeks before starting Ocrevus Zunovo.

Ocrevus Zunovo interactions with lab tests

Ocrevus Zunovo isn’t known to interact with lab tests. If you have concerns about this medication interacting with lab tests, talk with your doctor.

OCREVUS ZUNOVO INTERACTION WITH CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Ocrevus Zunovo. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Ocrevus Zunovo. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Ocrevus Zunovo treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Ocrevus Zunovo and health-related interactions

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Ocrevus Zunovo. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Ocrevus Zunovo may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Ocrevus Zunovo include:

• Infections: Ocrevus Zunovo weakens your immune system and can raise your risk of infections. Before receiving Ocrevus Zunovo, tell your doctor if you have any active infections or infections that keep coming back. Your doctor may delay your infusion until after the infection has cleared up.
• Vaccination history: Talk with your doctor about your vaccination history before you start Ocrevus Zunovo. To help protect you from serious infections during treatment, your doctor may recommend that you receive certain vaccinations before starting Ocrevus Zunovo. Note that the drug can interact with vaccines you receive during treatment. To read more about this, see “Ocrevus Zunovo interactions with vaccines” earlier in this article.
• Hepatitis B: Your doctor will test you for hepatitis B (HBV) infection before you start Ocrevus Zunovo. If tests show you have an active HBV infection, your doctor will likely delay starting Ocrevus Zunovo until this has been treated. If tests show you have an inactive HBV infection (for example, because you’ve had HBV in the past), taking Ocrevus Zunovo could make the infection flare up again. In this case, your doctor will monitor you closely during treatment with Ocrevus Zunovo.
• Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Ocrevus Zunovo or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Ocrevus Zunovo. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
• Breastfeeding: It is unknown whether it’s safe to use Ocrevus Zunovo while breastfeeding. There isn’t enough information to determine whether the drug passes into breast milk or what effects Ocrevus Zunovo may have on a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to, talk with your doctor before using Ocrevus Zunovo. They can talk with you about treatment options and ways to feed a child other than breastfeeding.
• Pregnancy: There haven’t been enough clinical trials to determine whether Ocrevus Zunovo is safe to use while pregnant. If used during pregnancy, the drug may cause the baby to be born with a weakened immune system. Animal studies also show that the drug may cause harmful effects on the developing fetus or pregnancy loss. However, it’s important to note that animal studies don’t always indicate what may happen in humans. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Ocrevus Zunovo. They can advise you on the right treatment plan for you.

Preventing interactions  

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Ocrevus Zunovo. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reaching out to them before starting treatment is a helpful first step. For example, it’s important that you plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Ocrevus Zunovo label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. The paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Ocrevus Zunovo doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Ocrevus Zunovo by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

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.