Subcutaneous Rituximab for the Treatment of B-Cell Hematologic Malignancies: A Review of the Scientific Rationale and Clinical Development.

Unlabelled: Rituximab (MabThera/Rituxan), a chimeric murine/human monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the transmembrane antigen CD20, was the first therapeutic antibody to enter clinical practice for the treatment of cancer. As monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy, rituximab has been shown to prolong progression-free survival and, in some indications overall survival, in patients with various B-cell malignancies, while having a well-established and manageable safety profile and a wide therapeutic window. As a result, rituximab is considered to have revolutionized treatment practices for patients with B-cell malignancies.