What is the difference between Truxima and Rituxan?
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 20, 2023.
Both Truxima and Rituxan contain rituximab. Are they used to treat the same conditions?
Truxima (rituximab-abbs) is a biosimilar to Rituxan (rituximab). Truxima is indicated for the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, while Rituxan is indicated for the expanded treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, plus several other medical conditions.
Biosimilars are highly similar to an already-approved biological product with no known differences in safety and effectiveness. The FDA-approved indications and usages differ between Rituxan and Truxima.
Truxima and Rituxan belong to the class of drugs called CD20-directed cytolytic antibodies.
Truxima is approved for the treatment of adult patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL):
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL):
- Relapsed or refractory, low grade or follicular, CD20-positive B-cell NHL as a single agent.
- Previously untreated follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL in combination with first line chemotherapy and, in patients achieving a complete or partial response to a rituximab product 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 cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (CVP) chemotherapy.
Rituxan is indicated for the expanded treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, plus several other medical conditions in adults patients, including:
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL):
- Relapsed or refractory, low grade or follicular, CD20-positive B cell NHL as a single agent.
- 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 cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (CVP) chemotherapy.
- Previously untreated diffuse large B-cell, CD20-positive NHL in combination with (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) (CHOP) or other anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens.
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL):
- Previously untreated and previously treated CD20-positive CLL in combination with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC).
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA):
- In combination with methotrexate in adult patients with moderately-to severely-active RA who have inadequate response to one or more TNF antagonist therapies.
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) (Wegener’s Granulomatosis) and Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA)
- in combination with glucocorticoids inpatients two years of age and older.
- Pemphigus Vulgaris (PV):
- Moderate to severe disease in adult patients.
For more information, see What Are Biosimilars? Top Facts You May Not Know
Related Questions
Read next
Related medical questions
- How will I feel after a Rituxan infusion?
- How long does it take for Rituxan to work?
- What biosimilars have been approved in the United States?
- What is a biologic drug?
- How does the drug Rituxan work?
- How do you prepare for a Rituxan infusion?
- Are lung nodules common after Bendeka & Rituxan therapy?
- What is the difference between Rituxan and Rituxan Hycela?
- Is Truxima a chemotherapy drug?
Drug information
Related support groups
- Rituxan (20 questions, 103 members)
- Rituximab (11 questions, 53 members)
- Truxima (5 questions, 4 members)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (317 questions, 1,317 members)
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) (24 questions, 57 members)
- Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (14 questions, 39 members)
- Follicular Lymphoma (11 questions, 15 members)
- Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (10 questions, 3 members)
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (8 questions, 18 members)
- Mantle Cell Lymphoma (7 questions, 9 members)
- Microscopic polyangiitis (5 questions, 6 members)