Ocrelizumab Use in Patients with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: A Single Center Experience from a Developing Nation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Ocrelizumab is a B-cell depleting therapy effective in reducing disability progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly in older and more disabled patients. Real-world data from specific regions like Libya are limited. This study aimed to describe the initial Libyan experience with ocrelizumab's effectiveness, tolerability, and risks in adult patients with progressive MS (PMS). This was an observational, retrospective, single-center study conducted at Neurology Clinic in a major tertiary referral center in Benghazi, Libya. The study included adult patients with PMS or those experiencing disability progression on other therapies. All patients received the standard ocrelizumab regimen between May 2022 and May 2023. The primary outcome was the change in disability status, measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), from baseline to the end of the follow-up period. The total number of patients was 25 (median age 41 years, 60% male). Twenty-four patients (96%) had secondary progressive MS and one patient (4%) had primary progressive MS. The median follow-up duration was 12 months (range: 8–24 months) from the first ocrelizumab infusion. At baseline, 60% had significant disability (EDSS ≥6.0). Following treatment, 11 patients (44%) showed clinical stability, eight patients (32%) demonstrated improvement, and five patients (20%) experienced disability progression. One patient (4%) discontinued treatment due to pregnancy. Regarding safety, nine patients (36%) experienced manageable infusion-related reactions. One male patient (4%) died from a cardiac event, and one female patient (4%) developed bilateral breast cancer 2 years post-initiation. This real-world Libyan cohort suggests ocrelizumab can provide clinical benefit in advanced PMS, with a manageable safety profile. The reported serious adverse events underscore the importance of rigorous patient selection, comorbidity screening, and monitoring. Further large-scale, long-term regional studies are required to confirm these findings.
Institution: University of Benghazi
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7203902866