About RITUXAN
After initial RITUXAN plus chemotherapy

Keep Follicular NHL From Advancing With Maintenance Therapy

After follicular NHL goes into partial or complete remission following initial treatment with RITUXAN plus chemotherapy, RITUXAN maintenance therapy may help keep the disease from advancing.

For 78% of patients who received RITUXAN Maintenance Therapy in a study,their follicular NHL had not advanced after 2 years (compared with 62% of patients who received no additional treatment).

Keep in mind: Remission can be partial or complete. Partial remission means the cancer is significantly improved, but evidence of the cancer remains. Complete remission means all evidence of the cancer is gone for a period of time.
 

How RITUXAN maintenance therapy is given

  • After responding to initial treatment with RITUXAN plus CHOP, CVP, or FCM chemotherapy
  • You receive RITUXAN by itself
  • Every 2 months for up to 2 years

The PRIMA study

  • Average patient age was 57 in patients receiving RITUXAN and 56 in patients receiving no further treatment
  • 90% of patients were in the later stages of disease
  • Almost all patients had the ability to function in activities of daily living that included light or sedentary work
  • After initial treatment with RITUXAN plus chemotherapy, 505 patients received RITUXAN maintenance therapy, and 513 patients did not receive further treatment

Important treatment considerations

  • In patients who received RITUXAN maintenance therapy following a response to initial treatment with RITUXAN along with chemotherapy, the most common severe side effects included infections and low white blood cell count. The most common side effect observed was infections
  • Please talk to your doctor about the potential benefits and risks of RITUXAN maintenance therapy

This information does not take the place of talking with your doctor. Discuss with your doctor any questions you have about your medical condition or your treatment.

Next Section RITUXAN After Relapse

Indications

RITUXAN® (Rituximab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with:

  • Previously untreated follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL in combination with first-line chemotherapy and, in patients achieving a complete or partial response to RITUXAN in combination with chemotherapy, as single-agent maintenance therapy
  • Non-progressing (including stable disease), low-grade, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL, as a single agent, after first-line CVP chemotherapy
  • Previously untreated diffuse large B-cell, CD20-positive NHL in combination with CHOP or other anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens
  • Relapsed or refractory, low-grade or follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL as a single agent

People with serious infections should not receive RITUXAN.

Important Safety Information

  • RITUXAN can cause serious side effects that can lead to death, including infusion reactions, tumor lysis syndrome (TLS; kidney failure due to fast breakdown of cancer cells), severe skin and mouth reactions, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML; a rare, serious brain infection).
  • RITUXAN has also been associated with serious and life-threatening side effects, including the return of active hepatitis B virus infection with sudden and serious liver problems including liver failure, and death, other serious infections that can lead to death, heart problems, kidney problems, and stomach and serious bowel problems including blockage and tears in the bowel that can sometimes lead to death.
  • The most common side effects of RITUXAN seen in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were infusion reactions, fever, chills, low white blood cells, infections, body aches, and tiredness. Before starting treatment with RITUXAN it is important to talk to your doctor about your medical history.
  • Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects with RITUXAN. For more information, ask your doctor.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide.

CVP=cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone or prednisolone; CHOP=cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone.