CD20 inhibitors : rituximab

The CD20 inhibitors are protein constructs which bind and inactivate CD20. They are members of a group of drugs active in rheumatoid arthritis known as biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). They are not included in the group slow-acting antirheumatic drugs (SAARDs) because they are considered to have more specific actions and because their therapeutic actions are produced rapidly. The CD20 inhibitors are also active in some autoimmune diseases and tumors. The major CD20 inhibitor is rituximab. Ocrelizumab and ofatumumab are humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies which are in clinical trial or marketed for diseases other than rheumatoid arthritis. Ibritumomab tiuxetan is the combination of a mouse monoclonal antibody, ibritumomab, with tiuxetan which is a chelating agent for radioactive isotopes of yttrium or indium.