What Ocrevus is, who it’s for, and what an infusion day actually looks like. Written for patients and caregivers in Maryland.
Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is an infused medication for multiple sclerosis. It works by targeting a type of immune cell called a B cell, which plays a role in the nerve damage MS causes. Most people start with two half-doses given two weeks apart, then move to one infusion every six months. Springside administers Ocrevus in Columbia, Bowie, and Frederick, Maryland. Your neurologist keeps managing your MS. We handle the infusion, the insurance authorization, and the paperwork.
Ocrevus is the brand name for ocrelizumab, a medication given by IV infusion to treat multiple sclerosis.
It belongs to a group of medications called anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. That name describes what it does: it targets a protein called CD20, which sits on the surface of a type of white blood cell known as a B cell.
In MS, the immune system attacks the protective coating around nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord. B cells are one of the immune cells involved in that process. Ocrevus reduces the number of these cells in circulation, which lowers the immune activity driving the damage.
It doesn't repair damage that has already happened. What it aims to do is slow the disease down — fewer relapses, and slower progression of disability over time.
Ocrevus is FDA-approved for adults with:
That second one matters. For a long time there was no approved treatment for primary progressive MS at all, and Ocrevus was the first.
Whether it's right for you depends on your type of MS, how active the disease is, what you've tried before, and your own medical history — particularly any history of hepatitis B, which is why that screening is part of the referral requirements.
Your neurologist decides whether Ocrevus is appropriate. This page explains what the treatment involves once they have.
Ocrevus is given on a fixed rhythm, and it's an unusually easy one to plan around.
One full infusion every six months, indefinitely, for as long as your neurologist keeps you on it. Two visits a year.
The starting infusions run longer than the maintenance ones, because the rate is increased gradually while your care team watches how you respond. Once you're on the six-month schedule, a shorter infusion option may be available if you tolerated the earlier doses well. Your neurologist decides which is appropriate.
Exact doses and timings come from your prescriber. The schedule above is the standard pattern, not a substitute for the plan your neurologist writes.
Each links to its condition guide, where you’ll find the other infusion medications used to treat it.
Ocrevus is a longer appointment than most infusions, so it's worth planning the day around it. Here's the shape of a typical visit.
Plan for a long visit. The infusion time is only part of it. Premedication, IV placement, and the observation hour are all on top. When we confirm your appointment, we'll tell you how long to plan for.
The most common thing patients notice is an infusion-related reaction — usually during the infusion or in the hours afterward, and most often with the first dose.
That can look like itching, a rash, flushing, throat irritation, a headache, feeling lightheaded, or a fever. It's common enough that it's planned for rather than treated as a surprise.
Because Ocrevus lowers immune activity, infections are more likely, and your neurologist will monitor for that. Tell your care team about any infection, fever, or new symptom, and speak to your prescriber before any vaccination.
Tell us at check-in if you've had a reaction to a previous infusion, feel unwell that day, or have started a new medication since your last visit.
There is a version of ocrelizumab given as an injection under the skin rather than an IV infusion, sold as Ocrevus Zunovo. It uses the same active medication combined with an enzyme that lets it be absorbed from an injection instead of a vein.
It's given every six months on the same schedule, and takes around ten minutes rather than a couple of hours.
Springside administers both. Which one you receive is your neurologist's decision, and it comes through on the referral — they're ordered separately and aren't interchangeable at the appointment.
You can change where you receive your Ocrevus infusions without changing your neurologist. Your neurologist continues to manage your MS and writes the order. We administer the infusion and report back to them.
Many Maryland insurance plans now prefer, and some require, that non-urgent infusions be given at an ambulatory infusion center rather than a hospital outpatient department, often at meaningfully lower out-of-pocket cost. Coverage rules and prior-authorization requirements vary by plan, so we verify your benefits and handle the authorization before your first visit.
Please include the following with your referral:
