Rituximab is a biopharmaceutical medication that is primarily used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, as well as certain blood cancers, such as non-Hodkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This medicine can also be used to treat certain types of blood vessel disease (such as granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis) by reducing blood vessel swelling. Rituximab is also used to treat a skin disorder called vitiligo (pemphigus Vulgaris). It aids in the reduction of skin lesions. The following rituximab products are covered in this monograph: rituximab, rituximab-abbs, rituximab-arrx, and rituximab-pvvr. It is available in the form of injectable rituximab solutions in vials. Rituximab was developed by IDEC Pharmaceuticals and was the first therapeutic antibody to be approved for medical use in 1997. As of today, it is approved in and supplied to over 100 countries, has become one of the best-selling medicines worldwide, and is one of the pharmaceutical drugs that are included in the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines required in a basic health system. Due to the drug’s expensive and complex manufacturing process, the rituximab market is populated and split between only a few large pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers. Until patent expiry in 2013, Roche, with its trade name drug MabThera was the only rituximab drug supplier in the market. Since then, suppliers Celltrion and Sandoz, and AryoGen have launched their trade name rituximab medications. Kids two years of age and older or adults can receive rituximab injection (Rituxan, Ruxience) in combination with other medications to treat granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's Granulomatosis) and microscopic polyangiitis, which are circumstances in which the immune system attacks its veins and blood vessels, causing damage to organs like the heart and lungs. In a phase 2 trial, patients with recurrent illness were given rituximab plus bendamustine (Treanda, Cephalon). With an ORR of 92 percent, this combination was determined to be quite successful. You may experience nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, joint/muscle discomfort, weakness, or flushing. Due to the rapid killing of cancer cells, rituximab might induce adverse effects (tumor lysis syndrome). Your doctor may prescribe medicine and advise you to drink plenty of water to reduce your risk. If you have symptoms like low back/side discomfort (flank pain), evidence of renal problems (painful urination, pink/bloody urine, change in the volume of urine), or muscular spasms/weakness, call your doctor straight once. This prescription can induce anemia, reduce your body's capacity to fight an infection, and make bruising and bleeding more difficult. If anyone gets any of the symptoms, contact your doctor right away: Easy bruising/bleeding, black/tarry stools, vomit that resembles coffee grounds, signs of infection (such as a persistent sore throat, fever, or chills), unusual tiredness, pale skin. Rituximab is administered in a hospital setting by a drip into a vein. An intravenous infusion is what this is called. Typically, you'll begin treatment with two rituximab injections spaced two weeks apart. When your rituximab infusions start to wear off or to prevent a flare-up of your arthritis, you'll be given another one. It could be between from six months to a couple of years later.