B Cell Depletion treatments

[digital dog]

Are there any other B cell depletion treatments other than rituximab that are more widely available in the UK?
Are there any other treatments that work similarly?

 

[digital dog]

Please forgive my ignorance but is Rituximab licensed in the UK for RA? My father and other family members have RA but this treatment has never been suggested.

 

[helen1]

@digital dog

Cyclophosphamide, a chemo drug is mentioned a few times on various threads as being similar to rituximab. Don't know if it's more available in the UK. Apparently, it has a faster onset of effect.

 

[Scarecrow]

Please forgive my ignorance but is Rituximab licensed in the UK for RA? My father and other family members have RA but this treatment has never been suggested.

It is, but not used automatically. This is from the Arthritis Research UK website:

http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/drugs/rituximab/why-is-it-prescribed.aspx

Why is rituximab prescribed?
Back to Rituximab
Rituximab can be used for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, vasculitis and dermatomyositis. It's also used to treat certain types of cancer.
You'll only be prescribed rituximab if your arthritis is active and you’ve already tried methotrexate and another disease-modifying anti-inflammatory drug (DMARD) such as sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine and at least one anti-TNF drug, or if you can’t use these drugs for any reason.
You won’t be prescribed rituximab if:

• your arthritis isn’t active
• you’ve not tried other disease-modifying and biological therapies first
• you’re pregnant or breastfeeding
• you have an infection.

Your doctor may decide not to prescribe rituximab if:

• you have severe heart problems
• you get short of breath very easily
• your B-cell or antibody levels are low
• you have seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (with no rheumatoid factor and no anti-CCP antibodies).

- See more at: http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/...hy-is-it-prescribed.aspx#sthash.pWJa9Kb7.dpuf

 

[digital dog]

Thank you for taking the time to post. I appreciate the replies.

 

[gregh286]

Rituximab is last chance saloon drug in uk for severe cases of RA.
I think we can improve ourselves without it.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

Rituximab is last chance saloon drug in uk for severe cases of RA.
I think we can improve ourselves without it.

Er, not quite. It is one a several very effective treatments. It comes about half way down the list purely for historical licensing reasons - TNF inhibitors were licensed first so have to be tried first. Rituximab is good treatment for mild progressive RA. It is the biologic drug of choice in countries where TB is common, as in much of Latin America.

 

[msf]

That licensing thing is crazy - do they do that in other countries too?

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

That licensing thing is crazy - do they do that in other countries too?

Less so I think, except maybe in countries more English than England - like New Zealand!