Ocrelizumab for treating relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in children aged 10 to 17 years

Ocrelizumab is in clinical development for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in children aged 10 to 17 years. MS is a condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the nerves in the central nervous system (CNS) which consists of the brain and spinal cord. This damage prevents messages travelling from the CNS to other parts of the body. It causes a range of potential symptoms from pins and needles to difficulties with balance and walking. In relapsing-remitting MS people have attacks of new and old symptoms, this is called a relapse. In paediatric-onset MS patients, the early and frequent neuroinflammatory attacks can result in impaired brain development and poorer cognitive performance when compared with adult-onset MS patients or non-MS peers. Recent findings indicate that initiating high-efficacy therapies during childhood can lead to significantly improved long-term outcomes. Therefore, efforts towards appropriate disease modifying therapies for children and adolescents are highly warranted.