Loading...
Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and associated mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) are typically treated with a combination of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin. Up to 60% of patients respond to this antiviral regimen, but persistence of vasculitis and organ involvement suggest the need for additional agents. One potential agent — the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) — has demonstrated efficacy in patients with HCV-MC, possibly by countering B-cell expansion and suppressing immunoglobulin M (IgM) production. Now, European investigators have conducted three trials of rituximab in HCV-MC patients: Two studies assessed the potential benefit of adding rituximab to conventional PEG-IFN plus ribavirin, and one …