RITUXIMAB (Rituxan
Rituximab
Rituximab is used to treat certain types of cancer.
Rituximab
Rituximab is used to treat certain types of cancer.
Methotrexate
Methotrexate is used to treat certain types of cancer or to control severe psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis that has not responded to other treatments. It may also be used to control juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Full Answer
What is Rituxan (rituximab)?
Rituxan (rituximab) is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body. It is also used to treat other non-cancer conditions.
Can Rituxan be used as maintenance therapy?
If treatment results in partial or complete remission, Rituxan may be used as maintenance therapy. Maintenance therapy: to stay in remission The goal of maintenance therapy is to help keep the disease in remission for a longer period of time. Rituxan is used alone, without chemotherapy, during maintenance therapy.
Is it safe to take rituximab every day?
Rituxan is not given daily. Your schedule will depend on the condition being treated. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully. Before each injection, you may be given other medications to prevent certain side effects of rituximab. You will need frequent medical tests.
How effective is Rituximab for B cell depletion?
While rituximab is very effective in the depletion of B cells, current research suggests it may also influence other cells of the immune system by re-establishing immune homeostasis and tolerance. The safety profile of RTX reveals that most reactions are infusion related.
What diseases does Rituxan treat?
Rituximab is used to treat certain types of cancer (such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia). It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells. Some brands of rituximab are also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and can decrease joint pain and swelling.
What can Rituxan be used for?
RITUXAN® (rituximab) is a prescription medicine used to treat: Adults with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL): alone or with other chemotherapy medicines. Adults with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): with the chemotherapy medicines fludarabine and cyclophosphamide.
What cancers are rituximab used for?
Use in Cancer Rituximab is approved to be used in alone or with other drugs to treat: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia or acute myeloid leukemia that is advanced and CD20 positive. Rituximab is used with chemotherapy in children aged 6 months and older whose cancer has not been treated.
Is Rituxan used for rheumatoid arthritis?
Rituxan is the first drug to target a specific B immune cell, believed to play a role in inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. It was approved two months ago by the FDA for use by rheumatoid arthritis patients who have failed other biologic treatments. Rituxan is administered as an infusion into a vein.
Is Rituxan used for lupus?
Rituximab (Rituxan, Truxima) It is used “off label” (without FDA approval) for lupus because B cells play a very important role in the disease. This medication has mixed results in lupus, but works for some patients. Rituximab dosage is one gram (1000mg) to start and at two weeks, then every 16 to 20 weeks.
How does Rituxan work for autoimmune disease?
The symptoms of an autoimmune disease depend on which part of your body that is affected. Rituximab attaches itself to all the CD20 proteins it finds to mark them. Then it triggers the cells of the immune system to pick out the marked cells and kill them. Rituximab destroys both abnormal and normal B-cells.
Is Rituxan used to treat lymphoma?
RITUXAN is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with: Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL): alone or with other chemotherapy medicines.
What cells does Rituxan target?
RITUXAN targets and attaches to the CD20 protein found on the surface of blood cells with cancer and some healthy blood cells. Once attached to the CD20 protein, RITUXAN is thought to work in different ways including: By helping your own immune system destroy the cancer cells. By destroying the cancer cells on its own.
What's the difference between Rituxan and rituximab?
Official answer. Rituxan Hycela (rituximab and hyaluronidase human) includes the same monoclonal antibody as Rituxan (rituximab), but in combination with hyaluronidase, an enzyme that helps to deliver rituximab by subcutaneous injection under the skin. The original Rituxan is given only by intravenous (IV) infusion.
Does Rituxan help with osteoarthritis?
What types of arthritis is rituximab used for? Rituximab is used to treat inflammatory types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA, also known as Wegener's Granulomatosis). For RA, rituximab is used in combination with methotrexate (MTX).
Does Rituxan help with inflammation?
Rituximab works by lowering the number of these B-cells, to reduce inflammation, pain, swelling and joint damage. If rituximab works for you, you'll probably notice an improvement in your symptoms 8-16 weeks after you start treatment.
How effective is rituximab for RA?
Most patients (80%–84%, balanced across treatment groups) had received a second course of treatment (80% by week 30). At week 52, treatment with rituximab two doses of 1,000 mg or two doses of 500 mg plus MTX was associated with better ACR50 responses when compared to MTX alone.
Before Taking This Medicine
Rituxan may cause a serious brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). This infection may be more likely if have used...
What Happens If I Overdose?
Since this medication is given by a healthcare professional in a medical setting, an overdose is unlikely to occur.
What Should I Avoid While Receiving Rituxan?
Do not receive a "live" vaccine while using this medicine, and avoid coming into contact with anyone who has recently received a live vaccine. Ther...
What Other Drugs Will Affect Rituxan?
Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially: 1. medicines to treat rheumatoid arthritis - adalimu...
What is the success rate of Rituxan (rituximab) in patients with blood cancers?
In patients with hematological or blood cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Rituxan’s success i...
What causes infusion reactions to rituximab?
Rituximab infusion reactions are caused primarily by cytokine release in the body. Cytokines are immune system proteins in the body that help to fi...
What is the success rate of Rituxan (rituximab) in rheumatoid arthritis?
Treatment with Rituxan (rituximab) successfully improves patient outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis including reducing symptoms, reduci...
What is the active ingredient in Rituxan?
Rituxan active ingredient and form. Rituxan contains the active ingredient rituximab and belongs to a group of medications called monoclonal antibodies. Rituxan comes as a liquid solution that’s available in two strengths: 100 milligrams (mg) per 10 milliliters (mL) of solution and 500 mg/50 mL.
How long did Rituxan last without cancer?
went 39.8 months without their cancer getting worse when they took Rituxan, fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide. went 31.5 months without their cancer getting worse when they took fludarabine and cyclophosphamide alone. Rituxan was also studied in people who had already tried other medications for their CLL.
How much Rituxan is in a ml?
Rituxan comes as a liquid solution that’s available in two strengths: 100 milligrams (mg) per 10 milliliters (mL) of solution and 500 mg/50 mL. The medication is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion. (An infusion is an injection into a vein that’s given over a period of time.)
Can you use Rituxan alone?
If you have this treatment and have a partial or complete response* to it, your doctor may have you then use Rituxan alone. Rituxan for NHL when used after CVP chemotherapy. For this use, the cancer must be low grade.
What to do if you have a serious side effect of Rituxan?
Serious side effects and their symptoms can include: Infusion reactions while or after receiving a dose of Rituxan.*.
Is Rituxan Hycela a biosimilar?
Rituxan has two biosimilar versions: rituximab-pvvr (Ruxience) and rituximab-abbs ( Truxima ). Rituxan Hycela has no biosimilar versions. A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug). Rituxan is a biologic medication, which is also called a biologic.
Is Rituxan a biologic?
A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug). Rituxan is a biologic medication, which is also called a biologic.
How is Rituxan given?
How Rituxan Is Given. Rituxan is administered as an infusion in your veins. Rituximab is given over a few hours. The infusion is started slowly, and if the patient does not show any reactions to the medicine, the rate of infusion is increased every hour until the infusion is over.
How long does Rituxan last?
Rituxan is administered on a weekly basis for 4 to 8 weeks when it is administered alone. When administered along with chemotherapy, it is usually given on the first day of each cycle of chemotherapy for each of the 6 to 8 cycles. The main side effects of Rituxan are related to infusion allergic reactions.
What is the target of Rituxan and Gazyva?
Rituxan and Gazyva both target the CD20 antigen that’s present on the surface of certain cells , including the white blood cells known as B-lymphocytes, or B cells. 2 . Like Rituxan, Gazyva is a monoclonal antibody. That is, it's a special kind of antibody engineered by scientists and produced by manufacturers.
What is CD20 used for?
It may be used for cancers and noncancerous diseases. 3. Cancers: 3. People with some types of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas including follicular lymphoma (FL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). People with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) which is CD20 positive. Noncancerous Diseases: 3.
What is the best treatment for follicular lymphoma?
Follicular lymphoma - Follicular lymphoma is the most common type of indolent — meaning slow-growing—NHL, usually appearing in lymph nodes throughout the body. As a slow-growing type of NHL, FL does not always require immediate treatment. If your doctor decides to use Rituxan for FL, it is used in 2 different ways: 1 Initial treatment: to get to remission#N#Rituxan is used in combination with chemotherapy. If treatment results in partial or complete remission, Rituxan may be used as maintenance therapy. 2 Maintenance therapy: to stay in remission#N#The goal of maintenance therapy is to help keep the disease in remission for a longer period of time. Rituxan is used alone, without chemotherapy, during maintenance therapy. 1
What is the immune system able to recognize?
Our immune system is able to recognize markers on the surface of bacteria and viruses that indicate they don't belong in the body. When we are exposed to these microorganisms we manufacture antibodies to attach to these surface markers, letting the rest of our immune system know to attack. It's been found that some non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells also ...
Can you take Rituxan with chemotherapy?
Rituxan is therefore given with each cycle of chemotherapy and may be continued for a period beyond completion of chemotherapy cycles. 1 For those who have been treated earlier with chemotherapy alone and have now relapsed or progressed, Rituxan may be administered as a salvage treatment.
What is rituximab used for?
Rituximab is a human/murine chimeric monoclonal antibody primarily used for treating non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma. Recently it has also been used in the treatment of several autoimmune diseases. A literature review was conducted to determine the efficacy of rituximab in the treatment of some of the ….
Is RTX good for B cells?
The cumulative data would suggest that in the vast majority of studies in this review, RTX has a beneficial role in their treatment. While rituximab is very effective in the depletion of B cells, current research suggests it may also influence other cells of the immune system by re-establishing immune homeostasis and tolerance.
Is Rituximab used for autoimmune disease?
A review of the current use of rituximab in autoimmune diseases. Rituximab is a human/murine chimeric monoclonal antibody primarily used for treating non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma. Recently it has also been used in the treatment of several autoimmune diseases.
How It Works
Uses
- Rituxan is used for both cancerous and noncancerous diseases. How is this possible? Well, it all relates to the white blood cells known as B-cells or B-lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system. B-cells—the same cells that become cancerous in a variety of lymphomas—may also play a role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis and other inf...
Targeting B-Cells in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- The addition of Rituxan to our repertoire of drugs to treat NHL has made a significant difference. Prior to its introduction at the beginning of this century, the death rate from lymphoma had been steadily rising. Since that time it has been declining, likely due to improved survival from Rituxan. Some of the lymphomas for which Rituxan makes a difference include the following. Follicular ly…
How Rituxan Is Given
- Rituxan is administered as an infusion in your veins. Rituximab is given over a few hours. The infusion is started slowly, and if the patient does not show any reactions to the medicine, the rate of infusion is increased every hour until the infusion is over. Rituxan is administered on a weekly basis for 4 to 8 weeks when it is administered alone. When administered along with chemothera…
Gazyva
- As opposed to Rituxan, Gazyva is a fully humanized monoclonal antibody. Gazyva as a newer drug that targets the same "tag" as Rituxan, namely the CD20 antigen. Rituxan and Gazyva both target the CD20 antigen that’s present on the surface of certain cells, including the white blood cells known as B-lymphocytes, or B cells.2 Like Rituxan, Gazyva is a monoclonal antibody. That is, it…