{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T18:02:25Z","timestamp":1789840945280,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,16]],"date-time":"2026-05-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778889600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":15,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777593600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100011797","name":"Turun Yliopistollinen Keskussairaala","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100011797","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Euro J of Neurology"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>B\u2010cell\u2013depleting anti\u2010CD20 therapies are among the most effective disease\u2010modifying treatments for relapsing\u2013remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Rituximab (RTX) is widely used off\u2010label, while ocrelizumab (OCR) is approved for RRMS; yet comparative real\u2010world evidence between the two remains limited.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We conducted a retrospective registry\u2010based cohort study using the Finnish MS Registry, including adult RRMS patients treated with RTX or OCR between 2018 and 2024 at two university hospitals. Propensity score matching (1:1) was applied to balance baseline characteristics. Primary outcomes were annualized relapse rate (ARR) during follow\u2010up and relapse\u2010free survival. Secondary outcomes included MRI activity, disability progression, adverse events, and longitudinal plasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Of 636 screened patients, 191 met inclusion criteria and 112 patients (56 RTX, 56 OCR) were included after matching. Median follow\u2010up was 3.1\u2009years for RTX and 2.6\u2009years for OCR. ARR was low and similar in both groups (mean 0.03), and relapse\u2010free survival did not differ (log\u2010rank\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.95; HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.21\u20134.33). MRI activity remained largely stable, with no significant differences in T2 lesion changes. Adverse events were infrequent and mild. IgG declined modestly in both groups (mean\u221213%), with values below the reference range in 4.5% of patients and no association with infections. No disease reactivation was observed among patients switching from OCR to RTX.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In this population\u2010based Finnish real\u2010world study, RTX and OCR demonstrated comparable effectiveness and safety in RRMS, supporting RTX as a rational alternative to OCR in routine clinical practice.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/ene.70625","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,16]],"date-time":"2026-05-16T08:29:47Z","timestamp":1778920187000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Rituximab Versus Ocrelizumab in Relapsing\u2013Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Finnish Population\u2010Based Matched Cohort Study"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"33","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-1483-0279","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maiju","family":"Savolainen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurocenter, Helsinki University Hospital, and Department of Clinical Neurosciences University of Helsinki  Helsinki Finland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Merja","family":"Soilu\u2010H\u00e4nninen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurocenter, Turku University Hospital and Division of Clinical Neurosciences University of Turku  Turku Finland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Henriikka","family":"Nurmi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"StellarQ Ltd  Turku Finland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Matias","family":"Viitala","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Aastat Ltd  Turku Finland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pentti","family":"Tienari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurocenter, Helsinki University Hospital, and Department of Clinical Neurosciences University of Helsinki  Helsinki Finland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sari","family":"Atula","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurocenter, Helsinki University Hospital, and Department of Clinical Neurosciences University of Helsinki  Helsinki Finland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sini M.","family":"Laakso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurocenter, Helsinki University Hospital, and Department of Clinical Neurosciences University of Helsinki  Helsinki 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