REVIEW - Rituxan (rituximab): B cell depletion therapy in rheumatic disease

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Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2006 Oct;20(5):915-28.

B cell depletion therapy in rheumatic disease.

JC,

Cambridge G,

Leandro MJ.

University College London, Centre for Rheumatology, Arthur Stanley House,

40-50 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4NJ, UK.

B cell depletion therapy was introduced for auto-antibody associated

rheumatic disease in 1998. Encouraging pilot studies in rheumatoid arthritis

were followed by randomised controlled trials confirming major benefit.

Licensing for use in patients unable to benefit from tumour necrosis factor

alpha (TNFalpha) neutralising agents is envisaged shortly. Open studies in

other disorders, in particular systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), have also

suggested benefit and its use in life-threatening situations is becoming

widespread. Toxicity appears to compare favourably with other agents, but

respiratory problems may be more common. Repeated therapy is effective, but

may lead to hypogammaglobulinemia. Rituximab is currently the main agent

used but other agents are in development. Optimal protocols are not well

characterised and will probably be different for different conditions.

PMID: 16980214

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Retrieve & dopt=Abstra\

ctPlus & list_uids=16980214

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