rituximab + cyclosporine

Rituximab + cyclosporine is a combination immunotherapy regimen being evaluated in a Phase 3 multicenter randomized controlled trial (NCT04743739) led by Peking Union Medical College Hospital for the treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (iMN). The regimen combines rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets CD20 on B cells to induce depletion and reduce autoantibody production, with cyclosporine, a small molecule calcineurin inhibitor. Cyclosporine provides rapid immunosuppression by inhibiting T-cell activation and also exerts a direct protective effect on kidney podocytes by stabilizing their actin cytoskeleton. This dual approach is hypothesized to be more effective than rituximab monotherapy by targeting multiple pathways of the disease's pathogenesis, potentially leading to higher and more durable remission rates with pilot studies suggesting remission rates up to 85%.

Brand names

RituxanSandimmuneNeoralGengraf

Other names

RTX + CsArituximab plus cyclosporinecyclosporine ACsA