Roches’ MabThera becomes first new treatment approved for decades for PV

Roches’ drug MabThera (rituximab) combined with prednisone has proven to be more effective in achieving clinical remission for patients suffering with life threatening skin disorder pemphigus vulgaris (PV). After 2 years of clinical research, 90% of patients using the combination were disease free, becoming the first new therapy for PV in more than 60 years.
Rituximan has been approved for usages of moderate to severe forms of PV where it will join an already approved long list of treatments including rheumatoid arthritis, granulomatosis and polyangiitis 9GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA).