after joining the study you will be assigned by the study team to one of two groups. the assignment is done randomly, so you will receive either the test medication or the comparison medication.

the group assignment determines which medication you will take for the next 24 months.

once you are assigned to a group, you will begin the maintenance therapy that is used to keep the disease in remission.

the therapy will continue for up to 24 months unless the study protocol requires a change.

if you are assigned to the comparison group you will take azathioprine tablets. each tablet contains 160 mg of the active substance. the tablets are taken orally, usually once a day, as directed by the study staff.

if you are assigned to the test group you will receive rituximab by intravenous infusion. the infusion contains a total dose of 1000 mg of rituximab, prepared as a solution for infusion. the infusion is given in a clinical setting according to the schedule defined by the trial protocol.

throughout the 24‑month period you will attend scheduled visits with the study team. at each visit you will be asked about any new symptoms, side effects, and overall health.

the visits also include physical examinations and collection of blood samples to monitor safety and drug levels.

periodically you will undergo magnetic resonance imaging (mri) of the brain. the scans are used to look for new or worsening lesions that could indicate a relapse of the disease.

relapse is defined as the return or worsening of neurological symptoms that are linked to the underlying condition. any sign of relapse will be recorded by the study staff.

after 24 months of therapy the study period ends for you. final assessments are performed, including evaluation of disease status, functional outcome, and any adverse events that occurred during the trial.

the results will be used to compare the effectiveness of rituximab versus azathioprine for maintaining remission.