If you worry about how your multiple sclerosis diagnosis will affect your life, you are not alone. Our MS specialists are here to offer options that can preserve your mobility and brain health. Even though MS is not a curable disease, it is highly manageable with the right therapies.
Infusion treatments are one type of therapy that can reduce relapses and slow progression of the disease.
An MS infusion involves medications called disease-modifying therapies, or DMTs, given intravenously. The medicine is absorbed directly through the bloodstream, which helps it act quickly and better manage symptoms.
Infusion therapies are among the most commonly used treatments for MS. While it’s possible for some DMTs to be infused at home, most of our patients choose to come to the Rush Multiple Sclerosis Center in Chicago for their infusions.
We provide full infusion therapy services for people living with MS, including the latest infusion treatments and clinical trials. Patients can receive infusion therapy in private or semiprivate, Wi-Fi-enabled infusion bays, while enjoying comprehensive care from our team of nationally ranked neurologists.
Why Should You Have Infusions for MS?
One of the biggest advantages of infusion therapy for MS is the convenience. Unlike some other treatments that need to be administered daily or even several times a day, infusions can be given monthly or, in some cases, once every six months.
Another advantage of MS infusions is that they are highly effective. They can often prevent relapses and stop the progression of disability.
But infusions may not be the best treatment for every patient with MS, so it’s important to talk to a specialist who can discuss all of your care options.
Meet our multiple sclerosis infusion specialists
Types of MS Infusions
There are several types of infusions that are FDA-approved for the treatment of MS. There are also infusions that can be used off-label or in clinical trials for MS.
The drugs used in these infusions are monoclonal antibodies. That means they are clones of one antibody created in a lab to mimic those in your immune system. Like your own antibodies, they stick to foreign materials in your body and destroy them.
Types of MS infusion drugs include the following:
- Ocrelizumab: Under the brand name Ocrevus, this is given twice a year. Rush was the first hospital in Illinois, and one of the first in the nation, to offer this medication. It is the only infusion drug that is FDA-approved to treat primary progressive MS. Nearly half of patients who receive MS infusions choose this medication. It is usually given once every six months.
- Natalizumab: Under the brand name Tysabri, this medication treats relapsing MS. It is usually given once every four weeks.
- Ublituximab: Under the brand name Briumvi, this medication also treats relapsing MS. It is usually given once every six months.
- Rituximab: Often under the brand name Rituxan, this infusion drug depletes B-cells. While it is not FDA-approved for treatment of MS, it can be used as an off-label therapy. It is also used to treat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukemia.
What to Expect During MS Infusion Therapy
Each visit begins with a check-in meeting with a nurse who specializes in MS infusions. The nurse then administers the medication through an IV.
Sometimes a premedication, like an antihistamine, steroid or pain reliever, is used to help ensure that there aren’t any side effects. And if someone has a reaction to a medication, the full Rush care team is right outside the door.
MS infusion is an outpatient procedure, which means you’ll be able to go home shortly after treatment on the same day.
Patients report that the process is very comfortable. Some people read; others work on their laptops or the iPads provided in each infusion bay. And many people just use the time to relax.
Rush Excellence in MS Infusion Therapy
- Latest infusion options: Rush offers new MS treatments often well before they are more widely available. While many institutions have barriers when it comes to new medications, our specialists expedite the process to make sure patients have access quickly after FDA approval and ensure these drugs are covered by insurance plans.
- Leaders in MS care: Rush is the oldest and largest MS treatment center in the region. Over several decades, our specialists in downtown Chicago have pioneered and been the first to offer many MS therapies. They played a key role in developing and/or testing many now FDA-approved MS infusion drugs, including Tysabri and Ocrevus, and continue to participate in clinical trials and lab research for new treatments.
- Nationally ranked: U.S. News & World Report includes Rush University Medical Center on its Best Hospitals Honor Roll and ranks our neurology and neurosurgery services among the best in the nation.
- Private and semiprivate infusion therapy: Our infusion center provides patients with access to 15 infusion therapy bays while they receive treatment. These bays are sterilized between each use for safety. They also have Wi-Fi, and iPads are provided for patients to use. You can even work remotely from your own laptop or device while getting your infusion.
