
Ublituximab (Briumvi) approved as a new disease modifying therapy (DMT)
Ublituximab (Briumvi) has been recommended to treat active relapsing remitting MS across the UK.
Ublituximab reduces relapses and slows down the progression of disability. We’re pleased there’ll be another disease modifying therapy (DMT) available for people with relapsing remitting MS, so they can find the one that works best for them.
Who can take it?
You can have ublituximab in the UK if:
- you have ‘active’ relapsing MS. This means you’ve had a recent relapse and/or MRI scans show that you have new lesions.
You might be offered ublituximab as your first DMT, or if the one you’re already taking isn’t controlling your MS well enough.
How does it work?
Ublituximab is a monoclonal antibody drug. These artificial antibodies, made in a laboratory, stick to the surface of B cells and kill them. B cells are thought to cause a lot of the damage in MS by attacking the myelin covering around your nerves.
Ublituximab works in a similar way to ofatumumab (Kesimpta) and ocrelizumab (Ocrevus).
How do you take it?
Ubituximab is delivered through a drip in hospital. After your first infusion on a lower starting dose, you only need an hour-long infusion of ublituximab twice a year.
When will it be available?
The NHS in England and Wales should make ublituximab available to patients within the next month, after the National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) recommended it in December.
In Scotland, it should be available in the next few months following the Scottish Medicines Consortium’s (SMC) recommendation in January.
However, we know it can sometimes take a bit longer for new drugs to be available to everyone who’s eligible.