Ocrevus Subcutaneous (SC) is a new treatment for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), which is not funded by Pharmac. The key difference between Ocrevus SC and Ocrevus IV, which is funded by Pharmac, is that Ocrevus SC is delivered as an injection rather than by infusion.
Clinically, Ocrevus SC is considered to be equivalent to Ocrevus IV . However, the non-health benefits of a subcutaneous formulation accrue to people with MS and their whānau caregivers, as well as to the health system in the form of efficiency gains. Not all of these impacts are considered by Pharmac.
Roche commissioned NZIER to assess the non-clinical impacts of Ocrevus Subcutaneous.