Ocrelizumab Injection
Ocrelizumab is an intravenous medication used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis and primary progressive multiple sclerosis in adults, and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in certain pediatric patients.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 1 clinical label set within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
📖 Ocrelizumab Injection: Patient Information Guide
A plain-language walkthrough of Ocrelizumab Injection — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.
🎯What it's used for▾
Ocrelizumab (given as the brand Ocrevus by intravenous infusion) is approved for the following conditions:
- Relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults — including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS, and active secondary progressive MS
- Primary progressive MS (PPMS) in adults
- Relapsing-remitting MS in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older who weigh at least 25 kg (about 55 lbs)
⚙️How it works▾
Ocrelizumab is a monoclonal antibody — a lab-made protein designed to seek out a specific target. It locks onto a protein called CD20 on the surface of B lymphocytes (B-cells), a type of immune cell. Once attached, it triggers the destruction of those B-cells through two processes: antibody-dependent cellular cytolysis and complement-mediated lysis (essentially, signaling the immune system to break down those cells). Reducing these B-cells is believed to dampen the immune attacks on the brain and spinal cord that cause MS damage, though the exact way this translates into clinical benefit is not fully known.
💊How it's taken▾
Ocrevus is given only as an intravenous (IV) infusion in a clinical setting — never at home or self-administered. The first course is two separate infusions given two weeks apart; after that, one infusion is given every six months. Dosing for pediatric patients is adjusted based on body weight. If a scheduled infusion is missed, it should be given as soon as possible and the six-month schedule restarted from that point — doses must always be at least five months apart.
- Pre-medications (a steroid, antihistamine, and possibly a fever reducer) are given before every infusion to reduce reaction risk
- Patients are observed during infusion and for at least one hour afterward
- There are no food or drink restrictions, since the medication is given by IV
🤒Side effects — in detail▾
The most common side effects of Ocrevus include:
- Infusion reactions — itching, rash, flushing, headache, nausea, or difficulty breathing during or shortly after the IV
- Upper respiratory tract infections (colds, sinus infections)
- Lower respiratory tract infections (bronchitis, pneumonia)
- Skin infections
- Herpes virus infections — including cold sores, shingles, and in rare cases more serious herpes complications
- Depression
- Back pain
- Decreased immunoglobulin (antibody) levels, especially IgM, with longer-term use
Serious reactions to watch for include signs of severe infection, symptoms of a rare brain infection called PML (sudden weakness, vision changes, confusion), signs of liver injury (jaundice, dark urine), or new/worsening bowel symptoms suggesting colitis. Seek medical attention promptly for any of these.
⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
- Infusion reactions: Very common, especially with the first infusion. Ranging from mild (flushing, itching) to life-threatening (throat swelling, breathing difficulty). A life-threatening reaction requires permanently stopping Ocrevus.
- Serious infections: Ocrevus suppresses the immune system. Bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections — some fatal — have been reported. Delay treatment if you have an active infection.
- PML (progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy): A rare but potentially fatal brain infection caused by the JC virus. Report any new neurological symptoms immediately — weakness, vision problems, or confusion.
- Hepatitis B reactivation: Ocrevus can cause dangerous reactivation of a dormant hepatitis B infection, including liver failure and death. All patients must be screened before starting.
- Low immunoglobulin levels: Long-term use can reduce antibody levels, further raising the risk of serious infections. Levels should be monitored.
- Possible increased cancer risk: There may be a higher risk of malignancies, including breast cancer.
- Liver injury: Clinically significant liver injury has been reported. Liver function is checked before starting and monitored during treatment.
- Immune-mediated colitis: Bowel inflammation has been reported after Ocrevus. Tell your doctor about persistent diarrhea or new GI symptoms.
🔀What it interacts with▾
Ocrevus can interact with other medications and vaccines that affect the immune system:
- Immunosuppressive drugs: Combining Ocrevus with other immune-suppressing medications (including high-dose corticosteroids) can compound immune suppression and raise infection risk
- Other MS therapies (fingolimod, natalizumab, daclizumab, teriflunomide, mitoxantrone): These drugs have long-lasting immune effects; switching to or from Ocrevus requires careful timing to avoid additive immunosuppression
- Live or live-attenuated vaccines: Must not be given during Ocrevus treatment or until B-cells have recovered after stopping — the safety of doing so has not been established
- Non-live vaccines: Can be given but Ocrevus may reduce their effectiveness; timing vaccinations before starting Ocrevus is strongly preferred
This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
📋Before taking it▾
- You must be screened for hepatitis B virus (HBV) before starting — Ocrevus is contraindicated if you have active HBV, and can trigger dangerous reactivation in people who are carriers
- Do not use Ocrevus if you have ever had a life-threatening infusion reaction to it
- Get all recommended vaccines at least 4 weeks (live vaccines) or 2 weeks (non-live vaccines) before your first infusion
- If you are pregnant or could become pregnant, discuss with your doctor — animal data suggest potential fetal harm; use reliable contraception during treatment and for 6 months after your last infusion
- If you are breastfeeding, talk with your doctor — it is unknown whether Ocrevus passes into human milk or affects a nursing infant
- Infants born to mothers who received Ocrevus during pregnancy should not receive live vaccines until their B-cell counts are confirmed to be recovered
- Tell your doctor about any history of low antibody (immunoglobulin) levels, recurrent serious infections, liver disease, or kidney problems before starting
- Older adults (65+): limited data exist on use in this age group; discuss any concerns with your doctor
- Children under 10 years of age or weighing less than 25 kg: safety and effectiveness have not been established
📡Pharmacodynamics — effects in the body▾
Ocrevus works by rapidly reducing the number of B-cells (a type of immune cell) circulating in the blood — this reduction is measurable within 14 days of the first infusion in both adults and children. B-cell levels stay low during ongoing treatment. After the last infusion, B-cell counts typically begin recovering, with most adults (about 90%) returning to normal or baseline levels within about 2.5 years. This prolonged B-cell depletion is why live vaccines must be avoided not just during treatment but until B-cells have adequately recovered.
🔬Pharmacokinetics — how your body processes it▾
Ocrelizumab is given directly into the bloodstream by IV infusion, so absorption is immediate. It distributes into a relatively small volume, consistent with staying largely in the blood and lymphatic system. The drug is broken down (metabolized) through normal protein-catabolism pathways, not through the liver's drug-metabolizing enzymes. The terminal elimination half-life is approximately 26 days, meaning it takes several weeks for the body to clear a significant portion of the drug — which is why its effects on B-cells and the immune system persist long after the infusion is done.
📦How to store it▾
Store OCREVUS vials at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) in the outer carton to protect from light. Do not freeze or shake.
📄 Written from Ocrelizumab Injection’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Ocrelizumab Injection
53 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Ocrelizumab Injection in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Moderate · 52
- Minor · 1
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
🩺 Pharmacist Counseling Corner
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Ocrelizumab Injection — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What exactly is Ocrevus used for — is it only for one type of MS? ▾
What happens during an infusion — what should I expect? ▾
Will Ocrevus make me more likely to get sick? ▾
Can I still get vaccines while taking Ocrevus? ▾
Is it safe to get pregnant or breastfeed while on Ocrevus? ▾
What warning signs should make me call my doctor or go to the ER right away? ▾
Is Ocrelizumab Injection available over the counter? ▾
When was Ocrelizumab Injection first available? ▾
💬 Answers drafted from Ocrelizumab Injection’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →
🧰 Keep exploring
💊 How Ocrelizumab Injection comes
Ocrelizumab Injection is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Injection
How this form is used
- Ocrevus is used intravenously to treat relapsing forms of MS (including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS, and active secondary progressive MS) in adults
- Ocrevus is used intravenously to treat primary progressive MS (PPMS) in adults
- Ocrevus is used intravenously to treat relapsing-remitting MS in pediatric patients 10 years of age and older who weigh at least 25 kg
- Ocrevus must be diluted and given only as an intravenous infusion by a healthcare professional; it is never taken by mouth or self-injected
- Ocrevus infusions are given as a starting course of two doses two weeks apart, then a single infusion every 6 months thereafter (dosing adjusted by weight in pediatric patients)
- Before every Ocrevus infusion, patients receive pre-medications (a corticosteroid and an antihistamine, and sometimes an antipyretic) to reduce infusion reaction risk
- Patients must be monitored during the entire Ocrevus infusion and for at least one hour after it ends; infusion reactions can also occur up to 24 hours later
📊 Ocrelizumab Injection across the U.S. market
How Ocrelizumab Injection appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
📈 How widely Ocrelizumab Injection is used
A general measure of how commonly Ocrelizumab Injection is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Ocrelizumab Injection is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Ocrelizumab Injection prescribed? Of the 1,596 medications we measure, Ocrelizumab Injection ranks #882 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 45% of them.
Utilization by Ocrelizumab Injection product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
10 ML ocrelizumab 30 MG/ML Injection
Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1876380
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Ocrelizumab Injection, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 1 of 1 listed Ocrelizumab Injection NDCs with Medicaid activity.
🔍 Compare Ocrelizumab Injection products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Ocrelizumab Injection — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Injection | ||||
| 300 mg/10 mL | Intravenous | Genentech, Inc. × 3 listings | BLA | View NDC → |
Showing 3 of 3 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 3 Ocrelizumab Injection NDCs →
📈 What people report — real-world data (FDA FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Ocrelizumab Injection — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Ocrelizumab Injection in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
🏛️ The road to your pharmacy
How Ocrelizumab Injection went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
🚨 Recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 1876366 1 dose form · 1 strength
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Dose form (SCDF) Injection RxCUI 1876379In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 10 ML ocrelizumab 30 MG/MLRxCUI 1876380
Look up RxCUI 1876366 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
📦 Supply & shortage status
Whether Ocrelizumab Injection is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
🏷️ Sold under these brand names
🏭 Manufacturers & labelers
RxNorm drug class
Ocrelizumab Injection belongs to the CD20-directed Cytolytic Antibody class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
🔬 Where this comes from
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How we combine label and product data
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 1 FDA-filed SPL label set within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.
Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. Genentech, Inc. is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.
This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.