Ocrelizumab VErsus Rituximab Off-Label at the Onset of Relapsing MS Disease

NCT ID: NCT04578639

Last Updated: 2025-06-27

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: PHASE3
• Total Enrollment: 214 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2020-11-02
• Study Completion Date: 2025-09-14

Brief Summary

This is a multicenter non-inferiority study, designed to establish non-inferiority of the study treatment rituximab compared with the comparator ocrelizumab for consecutively included patients (male or female) with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis aged 18-60 years.

Detailed Description

The objective of the study is to demonstrate if rituximab is non-inferior to ocrelizumab with regards to efficacy and safety in treatment naïve RRMS patients, diagnosed within the last 12 months.

To test this hypothesis, the investigators aim to perform a 30-months (24 + 6 months) prospective randomized double blinded multicenter non-inferiority study to compare rituximab to ocrelizumab in RRMS.

MS disease activity as measured by brain MRI is more sensitive as compared to clinical disease activity as measured by number of relapses or disability progression. New or enlarging MRI T2 lesions is regarded an acceptable marker of disease activity, and is routinely used in clinical practice by annual examinations (Thompson, Baranzini et al. 2018) (Thompson, Banwell et al. 2018). The investigators will therefore use the proportion of patients with no new or enlarging T2-weighted brain MRI lesions from month 6 to month 24 as the primary endpoint of this study.

Secondary objectives are included to further evaluate potential the difference or similarities in effectiveness between the treatments (disability progression, relapse rate, T25FW, 9-HPT, SDMT), to evaluate the difference in safety issues (most notably hematological complications, infections, malignancies, infusion reactions and other serious adverse events) and to evaluate the difference in patient reported outcomes by evaluation of working status, fatigue, anxiety and depressive symptoms, quality of life and treatment satisfaction (EQ-5D, MSIS-29, FSMC, and SDMT). The exploratory outcomes are included to evaluate specific blood samples and plasma biomarkers for treatment response (sNFL and CD19+ cell counts) and side effects (hypogammaglobulinemia and neutropenia) of the two treatments, differences in vaccination status (pneumococcus and/or influenza) and to determine the predictive value of BICAMS for the individual patient.

Conditions

Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

Rituximab

Rituximab will be given as infusion at week 0, week 26, week 52, week 78, and week 104 unless there is a reason for schedule modifications (see Section 6.3). Each infusion is given over approximately 4 hours and follow local guidelines for infusion. Initial dose; 1000 mg Subsequent doses; 500 mg

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Rituximab

Intervention Type: DRUG

A prospective randomized double blinded multicenter non-inferiority study designed to establish non-inferiority of the study treatment rituximab compared with the comparator ocrelizumab for consecutively included patients (male or female) with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis aged 18-60 years. Active substance is biosimilar rituximab iv infusion and comparator is ocrelizumab (Ocrevus ®) iv infusion. Both treatments are given as infusion at month 0, month 6, month 12, month 18 and month 24. Randomization rituximab: ocrelizumab is 3:2. The primary end-point is proportion of patients with no new or enlarging T2-weighted brain MRI lesions between re-baselining at month 6 and month 24.

Ocrelizumab

Ocrelizumab will be given as infusion at week 0, week 26, week 52, week 78, and week 104 unless there is a reason for schedule modifications (see Section 6.3). Each infusion is given over approximately 4 hours and follow local guidelines for infusion. Initial and subsequent doses; 600 mg

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Ocrelizumab

Intervention Type: DRUG

A prospective randomized double blinded multicenter non-inferiority study designed to establish non-inferiority of the study treatment rituximab compared with the comparator ocrelizumab for consecutively included patients (male or female) with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis aged 18-60 years. Active substance is biosimilar rituximab iv infusion and comparator is ocrelizumab (Ocrevus ®) iv infusion. Both treatments are given as infusion at month 0, month 6, month 12, month 18 and month 24. Randomization rituximab: ocrelizumab is 3:2. The primary end-point is proportion of patients with no new or enlarging T2-weighted brain MRI lesions between re-baselining at month 6 and month 24.

Interventions

Rituximab

A prospective randomized double blinded multicenter non-inferiority study designed to establish non-inferiority of the study treatment rituximab compared with the comparator ocrelizumab for consecutively included patients (male or female) with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis aged 18-60 years. Active substance is biosimilar rituximab iv infusion and comparator is ocrelizumab (Ocrevus ®) iv infusion. Both treatments are given as infusion at month 0, month 6, month 12, month 18 and month 24. Randomization rituximab: ocrelizumab is 3:2. The primary end-point is proportion of patients with no new or enlarging T2-weighted brain MRI lesions between re-baselining at month 6 and month 24.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Ocrelizumab

A prospective randomized double blinded multicenter non-inferiority study designed to establish non-inferiority of the study treatment rituximab compared with the comparator ocrelizumab for consecutively included patients (male or female) with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis aged 18-60 years. Active substance is biosimilar rituximab iv infusion and comparator is ocrelizumab (Ocrevus ®) iv infusion. Both treatments are given as infusion at month 0, month 6, month 12, month 18 and month 24. Randomization rituximab: ocrelizumab is 3:2. The primary end-point is proportion of patients with no new or enlarging T2-weighted brain MRI lesions between re-baselining at month 6 and month 24.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Other Intervention Names

mabthera; ocrevus

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Male and female patients, treatment naïve, and aged between 18 and 60 years included

2. Women of childbearing potential1 (WOCBP) able and willing to use highly effective methods of birth control2 per ICH M3 (R2) that result in a low failure rate of less than 1% per year when used consistently and correctly for the duration of the study OR until 3 months after last dose administered.

3. A diagnosis of RRMS according to the 2017 revised diagnostic criteria of McDonald (Thompson, Banwell et al. 2018) within the last 12 months.

4. Disease activity defined as ≥ 1 relapse3 or ≥ 1 new MRI lesion during the last 12 months

5. EDSS score ≤ 4.0

6. Absence of comorbidity or drug abuse that preclude study participation

7. Able to complete treatment or follow-up visits in the study (e.g. no contraindications for MRI or plans of moving)

8. Able to understand written and spoken Norwegian or English

9. Capable of giving signed informed consent as described in Appendix 1.2 which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the informed consent form (ICF) and in this protocol.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Known hypersensitivity or other known side effects for any of the study medications, including co-medications such as high glucocorticosteroids

2. A diagnosis of primary progressive MS according to the revised diagnostic criteria of McDonald (Thompson, Banwell et al. 2018)

3. A disease course of secondary progressive MS (Lublin, Reingold et al. 2014)

4. Any ongoing infection, including tuberculosis, hepatitis virus or HIV, as well as hepatitis B surface antigen positivity and/or hepatitis C PCR positivity verified at screening visit.

5. Prior or current psychiatric illness, mental deficiency or cognitive dysfunction influencing the patient ability to make an informed consent or comply with the treatment and follow-up phases of this protocol.

6. Cardiac insufficiency, cardiomyopathy, significant cardiac dysrhythmia, unstable or advanced ischemic heart disease (NYHA III or IV)

7. Active malignancy or prior history of malignancy except localized basal cell, squamous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix.

8. WBC < 1.5 x 109/L if not caused by a reversible effect of documented ongoing medication. If WBC < 1.5 x 109/L is caused by a reversible effect of documented ongoing medication the WBC count must be > 1,5 x 109/L before start of study treatment.

9. Platelet (thrombocyte) count < 100 x 109/L

10. ALAT and/or ASAT more than 2 times the upper normal reference limit (ULN)

11. Serum creatinine > 200 µmol/L

12. Serum bilirubin > ULN

13. Pregnancy or lactating female patients

14. Any disease that can influence the patient safety and compliance, or the evaluation of disability

15. History of serious or life-threatening infusion reaction to ocrelizumab or rituximab, if previously treated with these medications for other diseases than MS

16. Previous use of MS-therapies such as natalizumab, fingolimod, interferons, glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide, cladribine, rituximab, alemtuzumab, ocrelizumab, hematopoietic stem cell therapy (HSCT) or other immunosuppression therapies with long lasting effects, or any other disease modifying therapy (DMT) for MS. If any of these medications have been used against other diseases than MS, patients can be included if the medications have not been used the previous year before enrollment.

17. Currently enrolled in another investigational device or drug study, or less than 30 days since ending another investigational device or drug study (s), or receiving other investigational treatment(s). Patients participating in a purely observational trial will not be excluded.

18. Presence of metallic objects implanted in the body, or allergy to MRI contrast that would preclude the ability of the patient to safely have MRI exams

19. Current alcohol or drug dependencies

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University Hospital, Akershus

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Oslo University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Helse Stavanger HF

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: collaborator

St. Olavs Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University Hospital of North Norway

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Haukeland University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Kjell-Morten Myhr, MD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Haukeland University Hospital

Øivind Torkildsen, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Haukeland University Hospital

Locations

Haukeland University Hospital

Bergen, , Norway

Nordlandsykehuset HF

Bodø, , Norway

Vestre Viken sykehus

Drammen, , Norway

Sørlandet Sykehus

Kristiansand, , Norway

Molde sjukehus

Molde, , Norway

Sykehuset Namsos

Namsos, , Norway

Oslo University Hospital HF

Oslo, , Norway

Akershus University Hospital

Oslo, , Norway

Sykehuset Telemark

Skien, , Norway

Stavanger University Hospital HF

Stavanger, , Norway

University Hospital North Norway

Tromsø, , Norway

Karolinska Hospital

Stockholm, , Sweden

Countries

Norway; Sweden

Other Identifiers

2020-001205-23

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id