Truxima (rituximab)

What is Truxima (rituximab)?

Truxima (rituximab) is a CD20-directed monoclonal antibody indicated for the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL)[1,2]; chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)[2]; severe active rheumatoid arthritis[2] and granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis[2].

Truxima is the first rituximab biosimilar approved in the United States and the European Union that can be used alone or in combination with other therapies for the treatment of approved indications[3].

How does Truxima (rituximab) work?

The active ingredient in Truxima, rituximab, is a monoclonal antibody (a type of protein) designed to recognise and attach to the CD20-protein present on the surface of B-cells.

B-cells, also known as B-lymphocytes, are cells of the immune system that protect the body against attacks from external agents, like toxins, viruses, or cancerous cells[1,2,4].

Deficiencies in the immune system caused by B-cell dysfunctions can result in many different diseases like CLL or NHL (where B-lymphocytes have become cancerous), rheumatoid arthritis (where B-lymphocytes are involved in joint inflammation), and GPA and MPA (where B-cells are thought to attack the blood vessels and cause inflammation)[1,2,4].

By attaching to CD20, rituximab causes the death of B-lymphocytes. In this way, it stops the B-cells from causing these types of diseases[1,2,4].

Where has Truxima (rituximab) been approved?

This drug was approved by: Food and Drug Administration (FDA), USA: November 28, 2018, for the treatment of adult patients with[1]:

relapsed or refractory, low grade or follicular, CD20-positive B-cell NHL;

previously untreated follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL in combination with first-line chemotherapy and, in patients achieving a complete or partial response to a rituximab product in combination with chemotherapy, as single-agent maintenance therapy;

non-progressing (including stable disease), low-grade, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL as a single agent after first-line cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (CVP) chemotherapy. https://jonabiotech.com/