Characterization of novel murine anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies and their comparison to 2B8 and c2B8 (rituximab).

Rituximab is the first anti-cancer antibody approved by the FDA for the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL), alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs. Further, rituximab is now being examined in a variety of CD20+ neoplastic diseases as well as B-cell-induced autoimmune diseases. The clinical response to rituximab is significant, resulting not only in tumor regression but also prolongation of survival.