Genentech’s newly approved multiple sclerosis (MS) injection takes about 10 minutes to administer, dramatically reducing the four to six hours required by its intravenous predecessor. The U.S. FDA approved the humanized monoclonal antibody Ocrevus Zunovo (ocrelizumab and hyaluronidase-ocsq) for relapsing MS and primary progressive MS on Sept. 13.
Despite a newly signed $645 million commercialization deal with Neuraxpharm Group for multiple sclerosis drug Briumvi (ublituximab) in Europe, shares of TG Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:TGTX) tanked by 49.3% on Aug. 1 due to a perceived miss in U.S. net sales for the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody during its first full quarter on the U.S. market.
Although shares of TG Therapeutics Inc. took a hit on word of positive phase III data in multiple sclerosis (MS) from competitor Genentech, a unit of Roche Holding AG, the results may not end up affecting much the market showdown between the CD20 players.
The use of anti-CD20 therapies has revolutionized treatment options for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, reducing relapses and halting disease progression. While CD20 is primarily expressed by B cells at different stages, a small T-cell subset also expresses CD20, and therefore anti-CD20 therapies also directly and indirectly affect T cells.
