New treatments for pemphigus vulgaris

The combination of rituximab and intravenous immune globulin is effective in patients with refractory pemphigus vulgaris.

Rituximab is a CD-20 antibody that inhibits B-cells. Eleven patients whose pemphigus hadn’t responded to traditional treatment with steroids, immunoglobulins and other immunosuppresants were given the fancy new monoclonal antibody and nine quickly responded. There was no control group and no blinding.
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