Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data
Published on: December 9, 2015
Early extended interval dosing of rituximab in multiple sclerosis: A comparative cohort study on efficacy and safety
Maria Therese Fossum1, Hilde Marie Torgauten2, Jan Harald Aarseth3
1Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Background:
Rituximab is a highly effective disease modifying therapy for persons with MS (pwMS), but is associated with increased risk of infections. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, St. Olavs Hospital (SOHO) in Trondheim, Norway, changed from the standard interval dosing (SID) of six months to extended interval dosing (EID) of nine months after the third infusion. At Haukeland University Hospital (HUS) in Bergen, Norway, SID was maintained. This study compares efficacy and safety measures of EID with SID at these two hospitals.
Methods:
In the Norwegian MS registry (NMSR), we identified pwMS aged 18-60 years who were followed at SOHO or HUS and started rituximab between October 2018 and June 2021. The patients had an initial period with similar 6-month dosing intervals, followed by a study period with different dosing intervals. They were followed until august 2023, or until deviating dosing intervals, discontinuation, or loss to follow up. We compared relapse rates, the occurrence of new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 lesions, and incidence rates of infections, IgG- hypogammaglobulinemia and severe neutropenia.
Results:
We included 78 pwMS from SOHO and 217 from HUS, with overall short disease duration (median 0.6 years at SOHO and 0.2 years at HUS) and similar baseline characteristics. We found no statistical significant differences in relapse rates (p >0.99), proportions with new T2 lesions (p = 0.69) or incidence rates of adverse events.
Conclusion:
Our study suggests that early 9-month EID after the third infusion is a safe and effective treatment option for MS patients.
More Related Videos
07:25In Vitro Methods for Comparing Target Binding and CDC Induction Between Therapeutic Antibodies: Applications in Biosimilarity Analysis
Published on: May 4, 2017
04:11A Video Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial - Electrochemotherapy of Cutaneous Metastases with Reduced Dose Bleomycin (BLESS Trial)
Published on: June 9, 2026
Related Concept Videos
Dosage Regimen: Fixed Dose
Fixed-dose regimens can be used for various routes of administration, including intravenous (IV) injections and oral medications. For IV administration, a predetermined amount of the drug is...
Bioavailability Study Design: Single Versus Multiple Dose Studies
Dosage Regimens: Partial Pharmacokinetic Parameters
Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Repetitive IV Injections
Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Intermittent IV Infusions
Determination of Multiple Dosing Parameters: Steady-State, Minimum and Maximum Concentrations