The importance of measuring autoantibodies directed against rituximab in myasthenia gravis

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Neurologists in Nice report on their experience in the long-term treatment of autoimmune myasthenia gravis, particularly in the use of a monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody (rituximab or RTX):

  • data from 101 patients with myasthenia gravis treated with RTX as a first- or second-line therapy were included in a retrospective study.
  • Among them, 34 developed autoantibodies directed against RTX.
  • These autoantibodies appeared on average 433 days after the start of treatment,
  • preferentially in patients who received proportionally more RTX and over longer periods.
  • However, these autoantibodies do not appear to have an impact on the course of the disease or the effectiveness of the response to treatment.

In this context, the authors discuss the value of measuring these autoantibodies as part of the follow-up of affected patients.

 

Monitoring anti-Rituximab antibodies in myasthenia gravis affects the time to event during Rituximab treatment. Héraud C, Bresch S, Bourg V et al. J Neurol. 2025 Jun.

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