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Updated: Apr 15, 2026

In Vitro Methods for Comparing Target Binding and CDC Induction Between Therapeutic Antibodies: Applications in Biosimilarity Analysis
Published on: May 4, 2017
[B cell therapy of rheumatoid arthritis with rituximab. Practice-relevant aspects for the routine]
1Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II: Rheumatologie/Klinische Immunologie, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Oberdürrbacher Str. 6, 97080, Würzburg, Deutschland, schmalzing_m@ukw.de.
Background:
B cells play a key role in the pathogenesis of various rheumatic autoimmune diseases and have therefore become an important therapeutic target. Rituximab is a chimeric monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody that induces a nearly complete, transient depletion of peripheral CD20-positive B cells. In 2006 rituximab received approval for use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in 2013 for patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA).
Objectives:
In this review various clinically relevant aspects of B cell therapy in RA patients are discussed, including its role in the therapeutic algorithm as well as data on long-term efficacy and safety.
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