TY - JOUR
T1 - Two Years of Ocrelizumab Treatment in Black and Hispanic People with Multiple Sclerosis in CHIMES
T2 - A Single-Arm Clinical Trial
AU - for the CHIMES Study Group
AU - Amezcua, Lilyana
AU - Reder, Anthony T.
AU - Bernitsas, Evanthia
AU - Monson, Nancy L.
AU - Vartanian, Timothy
AU - Wu, Gregory F.
AU - Saleh, Mansoor
AU - Okai, Annette
AU - Obeidat, Ahmed Z.
AU - Sokhi, Dilraj
AU - Parekh, Rikisha
AU - Pei, Jinglan
AU - Harp, Christopher
AU - Clayton, David
AU - Abioye, Ibraheem
AU - Williams, Mitzi J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 Genentech Inc and The Author(s). Annals of Neurology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Neurological Association.
PY - 2026
Y1 - 2026
N2 - Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ocrelizumab in self-identified black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Methods: The Characterization of Ocrelizumab in Minorities with Multiple Sclerosis (CHIMES) trial, a prospective, open-label, single-arm, phase 4 study, intentionally recruited underrepresented populations in the US, Puerto Rico, and Kenya. Black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis aged 18–65 years with Expanded Disability Status Scale score 0–5.5 received ocrelizumab for 2 years. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with no evidence of disease activity in 3 components at week 48: protocol-defined relapse, 24-week confirmed disability progression, and disease activity on magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Of 113 black and 69 Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis, most were women (72%), with a mean age of 35.5 (SD 10.5) years, body mass index of 31.0 (SD 7.4) kg/m2, and Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 2.4 (SD 1.4). Genetic ancestry aligned with self-identified race or ethnicity. At week 48, 50.5% of CHIMES participants had no evidence of disease activity, including 94.5% free from 24-week confirmed disability progression, 95.1% free from relapse, 95.6% free from T1-contrast-enhancing lesions, and 52.7% free from new/enlarging T2 lesions. Serious adverse events were experienced by 8.2%, and 2.2% discontinued treatment. Infusion-related reactions were more frequent in Hispanic versus black participants (42.0% vs 29.2%), whereas gastrointestinal adverse events were more frequent in black versus Hispanic participants (23.0% vs 1.4%). Interpretation: Ocrelizumab treatment controlled disease activity in black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Results were consistent with pivotal ocrelizumab trials, supporting ocrelizumab's effectiveness and tolerability in these populations. ANN NEUROL 2026.
AB - Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ocrelizumab in self-identified black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Methods: The Characterization of Ocrelizumab in Minorities with Multiple Sclerosis (CHIMES) trial, a prospective, open-label, single-arm, phase 4 study, intentionally recruited underrepresented populations in the US, Puerto Rico, and Kenya. Black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis aged 18–65 years with Expanded Disability Status Scale score 0–5.5 received ocrelizumab for 2 years. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with no evidence of disease activity in 3 components at week 48: protocol-defined relapse, 24-week confirmed disability progression, and disease activity on magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Of 113 black and 69 Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis, most were women (72%), with a mean age of 35.5 (SD 10.5) years, body mass index of 31.0 (SD 7.4) kg/m2, and Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 2.4 (SD 1.4). Genetic ancestry aligned with self-identified race or ethnicity. At week 48, 50.5% of CHIMES participants had no evidence of disease activity, including 94.5% free from 24-week confirmed disability progression, 95.1% free from relapse, 95.6% free from T1-contrast-enhancing lesions, and 52.7% free from new/enlarging T2 lesions. Serious adverse events were experienced by 8.2%, and 2.2% discontinued treatment. Infusion-related reactions were more frequent in Hispanic versus black participants (42.0% vs 29.2%), whereas gastrointestinal adverse events were more frequent in black versus Hispanic participants (23.0% vs 1.4%). Interpretation: Ocrelizumab treatment controlled disease activity in black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Results were consistent with pivotal ocrelizumab trials, supporting ocrelizumab's effectiveness and tolerability in these populations. ANN NEUROL 2026.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105047409622
U2 - 10.1002/ana.78290
DO - 10.1002/ana.78290
M3 - Article
C2 - 42530333
AN - SCOPUS:105047409622
SN - 0364-5134
JO - Annals of Neurology
JF - Annals of Neurology
ER -