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What Is Rituxan?

Rituxan is a prescription biologic medication containing rituximab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the CD20 protein on certain B cells. It is approved for selected blood cancers and autoimmune diseases, including specific types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, and pemphigus vulgaris. Rituxan is administered by intravenous infusion in a medical setting. It works by reducing populations of CD20-positive B cells involved in cancer or abnormal immune activity. Rituxan carries boxed warnings for potentially fatal infusion reactions, severe skin and mucosal reactions, hepatitis B reactivation, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

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What Is Rituxan?

Rituxan is a prescription biologic medication containing rituximab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the CD20 protein on certain B cells. It is approved for selected blood cancers and autoimmune diseases, including specific types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, and pemphigus vulgaris. Rituxan is administered by intravenous infusion in a medical setting. It works by reducing populations of CD20-positive B cells involved in cancer or abnormal immune activity. Rituxan carries boxed warnings for potentially fatal infusion reactions, severe skin and mucosal reactions, hepatitis B reactivation, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

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How Does Rituxan Work?

Rituxan binds to CD20, a protein found on the surface of many normal and malignant B lymphocytes. After binding, rituximab can trigger immune mechanisms that destroy these cells, including complement-dependent cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Reducing malignant B cells helps treat certain lymphomas and leukemias. Depleting B cells can also reduce abnormal immune activity involved in selected autoimmune disorders. Rituxan does not directly target every type of immune cell or cancer cell. Because B cells contribute to immune defenses, treatment can increase susceptibility to infections and reduce responses to certain vaccinations.

What Conditions Does Rituxan Treat?

Rituxan is approved for specified CD20-positive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia in adults. It is also approved, with appropriate chemotherapy, for certain advanced mature B-cell lymphomas and leukemias in children aged six months and older. Noncancer indications include moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis in adults with an inadequate response to at least one TNF antagonist, when used with methotrexate. Rituxan also treats granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis in adults and children aged two years and older when combined with glucocorticoids. Another approved indication is moderate to severe pemphigus vulgaris in adults.

How Is Rituxan Administered?

Rituxan is administered by intravenous infusion under medical supervision, with dosing determined by the diagnosis and treatment regimen. For many non-Hodgkin lymphoma regimens, the dose is 375 mg/m? of body surface area on scheduled treatment days. For rheumatoid arthritis, a treatment course generally consists of two 1,000 mg infusions separated by two weeks, with subsequent courses determined by clinical response. Other autoimmune conditions have separate induction and maintenance schedules. Patients receive medications before infusion to reduce reaction risk, and some patients also require infection prophylaxis. Hepatitis B screening is required before treatment. Rituxan must not be administered as an intravenous push or bolus.

What Are the Side Effects and Warnings of Rituxan?

Common adverse effects include infusion reactions, fever, chills, nausea, headache, fatigue, and infections. Rituxan carries boxed warnings for fatal infusion-related reactions, severe mucocutaneous reactions, hepatitis B virus reactivation, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a rare and potentially fatal brain infection. Other serious risks include tumor lysis syndrome, serious infections, heart rhythm abnormalities, kidney injury, and bowel complications. Patients require hepatitis B screening and monitoring before and during treatment. Severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, blistering skin, yellowing of the skin, or new neurological problems requires immediate medical attention.

Common Questions About Rituxan

Is Rituxan the same as rituximab?

Yes. Rituxan is the reference brand-name intravenous formulation of rituximab, a CD20-directed monoclonal antibody.

Can Rituxan treat rheumatoid arthritis?

Yes. Rituxan is approved with methotrexate for certain adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded adequately to at least one TNF antagonist.

How is Rituxan different from Rituxan Hycela?

Rituxan is given by intravenous infusion. Rituxan Hycela combines rituximab with hyaluronidase for subcutaneous administration and has narrower approved indications.

Why is hepatitis B screening required before Rituxan?

Rituxan can reactivate previous or existing hepatitis B infection, potentially causing severe liver injury or death. Screening helps clinicians identify patients who need additional monitoring or treatment.

References

DailyMed - RITUXAN (rituximab) injection. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=b172773b-3905-4a1c-ad95-bab4b6126563. Date Accessed November 4, 2026.

Rituximab. LiverTox. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548249/. Date Accessed November 4, 2026.

Rituximab. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/rituximab. Date Accessed November 4, 2026.

Rituximab Injection. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a607038.html. Date Accessed November 4, 2026.

Rituximab. NCI Drug Dictionary. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-drug/def/rituximab. Date Accessed November 4, 2026.