Description
What Rituxan is?
RITUXAN (rituximab) is a CD20-directed cytolytic antibody indicated for the treatment of:
- Adult patients with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL).
- Adult patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in combination with methotrexate in adult patients with moderately-to severely-active RA who have inadequate response to one or more TNF antagonist therapies.
- ranulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) (Wegener’s Granulomatosis) and Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA) in adult and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older in combination with glucocorticoids.
- Moderate to severe Pemphigus Vulgaris (PV) in adult patients .
What Rituximab is?
Rituximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody against the protein CD20, which is primarily found on the surface of immune system B cells. When it binds to this protein it triggers cell death.
Rituximab was approved for medical use in 1997. It is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines. The patent expired in 2016, and a number of biosimilars have been launched.