The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7431 p727
16 December 2006

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Rituximab for ITP

Rituximab offers an alternative to splenectomy in chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), say researchers.

They gave 60 patients who had had ITP for an average of 4.8 years four weekly intravenous infusions of rituximab (375mg/m²) in a prospective Phase II study. One year later, among 24 responders (40 per cent), platelet counts were greater than 150x10⁹/L in 18 patients and between 50 and 150x10⁹/L in six patients. Data from the study were presented at a meeting of the American Society of Hematology in Florida, this week.