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Biotech / Medical : IDPH--Positive preliminary results for pivotal trial of ID -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Maurice Winn who wrote (1671)	7/14/1999 9:38:00 PM
From: Bob L	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1762

Maurice, I continue to follow Rituxan treatment pretty closely and have yet to see even one other mention of tuberculosis risk. Either that doctor was all wet, or is still ahead of his time. Patients do see decreased white blood counts which suggest a general risk of infection, but actual infection rates don't seem to be much of a problem. The serious side effects you are thinking of are probably "tumor lysis syndrome" which involved severe infusion-related adverse events and a few deaths. Genentech and Idec issued a letter reminding docs to monitor the infusion more carefully. Here's your url. fda.gov

To: Maurice Winn who wrote (1671)	7/28/1999 2:44:00 PM
From: PSC	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1762

Dear Maurice: These patients treated with Rituxan have some level of immunodeficiency anyway if they have lymphoma. Whether the Rituxan adds to that level of immunodeficiency or not is the question. Nonetheless, given the spectacular results with minimum other toxicity, TB prophylaxis with either a BCG vaccine, or some low dose anti-TB meds (like INH) should probably take care of this and you can be sure the investigators for IDEC are looking into this.