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Rituxan Hycela: 7 things you should know

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on May 15, 2024.

1. How it works

2. Upsides

3. Downsides

If you are between the ages of 18 and 60, take no other medication or have no other medical conditions, side effects you are more likely to experience include:

Note: In general, seniors or children, people with certain medical conditions (such as liver or kidney problems, heart disease, diabetes, seizures) or people who take other medications are more at risk of developing a wider range of side effects. View complete list of side effects

4. Bottom Line

Rituxan Hycela is a CD20 monoclonal antibody that causes B-cells to self-destruct or disintegrate and may be used to treat follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It is administered by subcutaneous infusion over 5 to 7 minutes and is preferred to Rituxan, which is administered over 3 to 6 hours. It must be given by a health professional and nausea, fatigue, and infections are common side effects.

5. Tips

6. Response and effectiveness

7. Interactions

Medicines that interact with Rituxan Hycela may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with Rituxan Hycela. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does. Speak to your doctor about how drug interactions should be managed.

Common medications that may interact with Rituxan Hycela include:

Rituxan Hycela may have additive immune-suppressing effects when given with any other medications such as anticancer drugs, immune-modulating, or immunosuppressive therapies, which may increase a person's risk for infection. Take this into account when switching from drugs with prolonged immune effects.

Note that this list is not all-inclusive and includes only common medications that may interact with Rituxan Hycela. You should refer to the prescribing information for Rituxan Hycela for a complete list of interactions.

References

Further information

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Rituxan Hycela only for the indication prescribed.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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