RESEARCH- Rituxan (rituximab): novel B-cell depletion therapy for the treatment of RA

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Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2006 Dec;7(18):2559-70.

Rituximab: novel B-cell depletion therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid

arthritis.

Academic Unit of Musculoskeletal Disease, University of Leeds, Chapel

Allerton Hospital, Chapeltown Road, Leeds, LS7 4SA, UK.

Significant numbers of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suffer from

disease that is refractory to both conventional therapy and newer biological

agents such as TNF-alpha inhibitors. These patients may respond

insufficiently, lose an effective response, develop toxicity or carry

contraindications to such agents. Rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody

against CD20 that effectively depletes B cells in peripheral blood, has been

licensed for the treatment of certain haematological malignancies for almost

10 years. B cells are now known to have multiple key roles in the

pathogenesis of RA. Data is now available that indicates efficacy and safety

of B-cell depletion with rituximab in the treatment of RA in a variety of

patient groups. The clinical outcomes from these studies, together with its

safety profile, have led to rituximab being licensed for the treatment of

patients with RA who have failed to obtain benefit from anti-TNF-alpha

agents.

PMID: 17150009

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

ctPlus & list_uids=17150009

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Mayo Clinic in Rochester

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s Hopkins Medicine

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