Rituximab for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

More than 80% of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience a relapsing-remitting disease course. Approximately ten years after disease onset, an estimated 50% of individuals with relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS) convert to secondary progressive MS. Quality of life is considerably impaired in early RR-MS. The increased costs are associated with relapse occurrence and increasing disease severity. Pharmaceutical interventions aimed at delaying the progression of disease may help to reduce the economic burden of MS. It has been showed that B lymphocytes involve in the pathophysiology of MS and rituximab lyses B cells via complement and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Current clinical trials are evaluating the role of rituximab as a B-cell-targeted therapy in the treatment of RR-MS.