What Health Plans Need to Know About Ocrevus Zunovo™
Ocrevus® Zunovo™ is a subcutaneous formulation of Ocrevus that shortens administration time and expands potential sites of care. For health plans and employer-sponsored benefit programs, the primary consideration is how this delivery change fits within existing site-of-care, utilization management, and specialty drug oversight strategies.
Health plans, employer-sponsored benefit programs, and specialty drug decision-makers are increasingly reviewing therapies that modify how care is delivered while leaving the underlying medication unchanged. These alternative formulations often arrive under new NDCs and introduce different administration requirements and oversight considerations.
Ocrevus Zunovo reflects this shift within multiple sclerosis treatment.
As a subcutaneous option for members receiving Ocrevus, it changes the administration process in ways that affect utilization management and site-of-care planning. These factors warrant early evaluation within a broader specialty drug strategy used by plans nationwide.
A Shift in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Delivery
Ocrevus has been a long-established therapy for relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis, but historically, treatment required intravenous infusions that often lasted several hours and were delivered in hospital outpatient departments or infusion centers. These settings can limit scheduling flexibility and contribute to higher total spend through facility fees and extended clinical resource use.
Ocrevus Zunovo changes the delivery structure.
The therapy is administered as a subcutaneous injection that takes approximately 10 minutes, which shortens the time in care and expands potential sites of administration.
This also introduces additional options for managing site-of-care utilization while maintaining the established clinical approach associated with Ocrevus therapy.
Ocrevus IV VS. Ocrevus Zunovo
Both formulations are clinically effective for multiple sclerosis, though their administration models create different operational and financial considerations for employers and health plans.
Traditional Ocrevus Administered Intravenously
- Multi-hour infusion visits
- Common use of hospital outpatient departments or infusion centers
- Greater exposure to facility-based reimbursement models
Ocrevus Zunovo Administered Subcutaneously
- Administration time of approximately 10 minutes
- Expanded flexibility in site-of-care selection
- Reduced dependence on infusion chair availability
In a recent GTSN-supported case study involving employer-sponsored and commercial plans, 92 percent of patients reported being satisfied or very satisfied with subcutaneous administration, and 90 percent described the experience as convenient or very convenient.
This reinforces how delivery format can influence the member experience even when the therapeutic agent remains unchanged.
Evaluating Drug Cost and Care Delivery Together
From a benefits perspective, Ocrevus Zunovo reflects a pattern seen across newer specialty formulations. Higher drug acquisition cost is introduced alongside a delivery model that may reduce administrative burden and change how care resources are used.
Although the medication itself may exceed the cost of infusion-based Ocrevus, the administration format can support:
- Reduced reliance on hospital outpatient settings
- Lower operational complexity associated with extended infusion visits
- Improved access through shorter appointment times
For plans already managing infusion utilization or reviewing high-cost multiple sclerosis therapies, Ocrevus Zunovo should be assessed within an existing site-of-care framework, with attention to how medical and pharmacy benefits are aligned.
Ocrevus Zunovo reflects an ongoing shift toward shorter administration times and broader delivery options paired with new financial considerations. Managing these therapies requires early evaluation, consistent oversight, and alignment with established specialty drug programs.