Roche reports positive data from multiple sclerosis drug trials

Roche has announced positive results from two pivotal studies evaluating its investigational multiple sclerosis therapy ocrelizumab.

The drug was compared with a standard-of-care therapy in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis, the most common form of the disease, in the OPERA I and OPERA II trials. Both met their primary and major secondary endpoints.

It was shown that treatment with ocrelizumab significantly reduced annualised relapse rates over a two-year period, while also significantly reducing the progression of clinical disability and the number of lesions in the brain.

Results from a phase III study of ocrelizumab in people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis are expected later this year.

Dr Sandra Horning, Roche's chief medical officer and head of global product development, said: "Based on these compelling results, we plan to submit the data for review to US and EU regulatory authorities in the first quarter of 2016."

This comes after Roche's drug Perjeta was recommended for approval in EU for use before surgery in HER2-positive early breast cancer last month.