Express Scripts eyes Ocrevus, dupilumab

In comments to the American Journal of Managed Care, Express Scripts Holding Co. (NASDAQ:ESRX) Senior Clinical Consultant of Emerging Therapeutics Aimee Tharaldson said she is closely watching the progress of multiple sclerosis candidate Ocrevus ocrelizumab from Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) and atopic dermatitis therapy dupilumab ( REGN668) from Sanofi (Euronext;SAN; NYSE:SNY) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN).

Tharaldson told AJMC she expects approval of Ocrevus in late December, and said it would be the first therapy approved to treat primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), which affects about 15% of the total MS population. The second-generation humanized mAb against CD20 has breakthrough therapy designation from FDA. In October, Roche said Ocrevus met the primary endpoint in the Phase III ORATORIO study in the indication (see BioCentury Extra, Oct. 8, 2015). ...