Truxima (rituximab-abbs) is a brand-name drug that’s prescribed for conditions including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults. Truxima comes as an IV infusion that’s given by a healthcare professional.

Truxima is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the following conditions in adults:

Truxima is a biologic and belongs to a drug class called monoclonal antibodies. Truxima is a biosimilar drug. It’s based on the parent drug Rituxan.

Keep reading for specific information about the dosage of Truxima, including its strength and how to receive the medication. For a comprehensive look at Truxima, see this article.

Note: This article describes typical dosages for Truxima provided by the drug’s manufacturer. However, your doctor will prescribe the Truxima dosage that’s right for you.

Read below for recommended dosages of Truxima and other details about the drug.

Truxima form

Truxima comes as a solution that’s given as an intravenous (IV) infusion. It’s always given by a healthcare professional.

Truxima strength

Truxima comes in one strength: 10 milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL). It’s supplied in two vial sizes: 100 mg/10 mL and 500 mg/50 mL.

Typical dosages

The following information describes dosages that are commonly prescribed or recommended in adults. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Dosage for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Doctors may prescribe Truxima to treat NHL. In some cases, Truxima may be given along with other drugs.

The dosage of Truxima for NHL is based on body surface area (BSA). It’s measured in milligrams per square meter (mg/m2) and is based on your height and body weight. Your doctor will calculate your dosage.

Truxima’s recommended dose for NHL is 375 mg/m2. How often you’ll receive an infusion depends on certain conditions:

  • CD20-positive, follicular lymphoma or low-grade B-cell NHL that’s not yet been treated: The dosage schedule is one Truxima infusion once weekly for 4 or 8 doses.
  • CD20-positive, follicular lymphoma or low-grade B-cell NHL that came back or didn’t get better after other cancer treatments: The dosage schedule is one Truxima infusion once weekly for 4 doses.
  • CD20-positive, follicular B-cell NHL that’s not yet been treated: For this use, Truxima is given on day 1 of each chemotherapy cycle for up to 8 doses. If your body responds to this drug combination, your doctor will likely prescribe Truxima alone starting 8 weeks after completing the combination regimen. You’ll continue receiving Truxima every 8 weeks for 12 doses.
  • Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma that’s not yet been treated: Truxima is given with chemotherapy for this use. In this case, you’ll receive one Truxima infusion on day 1 of each chemotherapy cycle for up to 8 doses.
  • Low-grade B-cell NHL that’s not gotten worse after 6–8 treatment cycles with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (Rayos): The dosage schedule is one Truxima infusion once per week for 4 doses. This may be repeated once every 6 months for a maximum of 16 doses.

Truxima may be prescribed for NHL along with a drug known as Zevalin. In this case, your Truxima dose will be 250 mg/m2.

For more information about your specific dosage, talk with your doctor.

Dosage for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Truxima is also approved to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). You’ll receive 375 mg/m2 on the day before you start chemotherapy with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. Then, you’ll receive Truxima 500 mg/m2 on day 1 of chemotherapy cycles 2-6 ( once every 28 days).

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about your dosage.

Dosage for rheumatoid arthritis

Truxima is also approved to help treat RA. For this use, it’s given along with methotrexate. In this case, the recommended dose of Truxima is 1,000 mg. You’ll receive your first infusion of Truxima 1,000 mg followed by a second infusion 2 weeks later.

Your doctor may continue this treatment cycle once every 16–24 weeks, depending on how your body responds to the drug.

Before each Truxima infusion, you’ll receive an infusion of a glucocorticoid medication to lower your risk of infusion-related reactions.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about your dosage.

Dosage for granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Truxima is also approved to help treat granulomatosis with polyangiitis. You’ll receive 375 mg/m2 once weekly for 4 weeks. This is known as the induction phase.

Before receiving your Truxima infusion, your doctor may prescribe a glucocorticoid medication to lower your risk of infusion-related reactions.

If your body responds to the induction phase of Truxima, your doctor may recommend continuing treatment 16–24 weeks after the induction phase. This is known as follow-up treatment. In this case, your dose of Truxima will be 500 mg. You’ll receive a second 500-mg infusion 2 weeks later. Then, you’ll receive a 500-mg infusion once every 6 months.

Your doctor may prescribe Truxima as a follow-up treatment even if you received a different drug during the induction phase. In this case, you’ll start follow-up treatment with Truxima 4 weeks after the induction phase.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about your dosage.

Dosage for microscopic polyangiitis

Truxima is also approved to help treat microscopic polyangiitis. You’ll receive 375 mg/m2 once weekly for 4 weeks. This is known as the induction phase.

Before receiving your Truxima infusion, your doctor may prescribe a glucocorticoid medication to lower your risk of infusion-related reactions.

If your body responds to the induction phase of Truxima, your doctor may recommend continuing treatment 16–24 weeks after the induction phase. This is known as follow-up treatment. In this case, your dose of Truxima will be 500 mg. You’ll receive a second 500-mg infusion 2 weeks later. Then, you’ll receive a 500-mg infusion once every 6 months.

Your doctor may prescribe Truxima as a follow-up treatment even if you received a different drug during the induction phase. In this case, you’ll start follow-up treatment with Truxima 4 weeks after the induction treatment.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about your dosage.

Long-term treatment

How long you’ll receive treatment with Truxima depends on the condition your doctor is treating. In some cases, you may receive treatment for a few weeks. In other cases, you may continue treatment long term. Ask your doctor how long they expect you to receive treatment with Truxima.

The Truxima dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:

  • your body weight and height
  • the type and severity of the condition you’re receiving Truxima to treat
  • other medications you take

Other medical conditions you have can also affect your Truxima dosage. If you experience an infusion-related reaction to Truxima, your doctor may recommend a slower infusion rate once your symptoms improve.

Your doctor or another healthcare professional will give you the IV infusion of Truxima. You’ll likely go to your doctor’s office, infusion center, or a hospital to receive your infusion.

The infusion may take 90 minutes or more. This depends on your dosage and other drugs your doctor may give you before starting your Truxima infusion. The length of the infusion may also depend on whether you are receiving your first dose or a subsequent dose.

Your doctor will likely give you acetaminophen (Tylenol) and an antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) before starting your Truxima infusion. In some cases, they’ll also give you a glucocorticoid medication or other treatments.

If you have questions about what to expect with Truxima, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. There’s also more information about receiving your infusion on the manufacturer’s website.

If you miss your appointment for a Truxima infusion, call your doctor’s office as soon as possible to reschedule. They’ll adjust your dosing schedule as needed.

If you need help remembering your appointments, try setting an alarm or downloading a reminder app on your phone.

Below are some frequently asked questions about Truxima.

Is the dosage of Truxima similar to the dosage of Rituxan?

Yes, the forms and how often you receive each drug are similar. Truxima and Rituxan are both IV infusions given by a healthcare professional. Truxima is a biosimilar medication of Rituxan. (Biosimilars are “similar” to the parent drug, and they’re considered to be just as effective and safe.) Because biologic drugs are made from living cells, it’s not possible to make an exact copy of the drug.

The dose in milligrams for each drug is similar because they have the same active ingredient. Your doctor will prescribe the drug and the dosage that’s right for you.

To learn more about how these drugs compare, talk with your doctor.

How long does it take for Truxima to start working?

Truxima starts to work after your first dose. Because of how the drug works, you likely won’t feel the drug working in your body. But your doctor will monitor you during treatment to check whether the drug is working to treat your condition.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about what to expect with Truxima treatment.

The dosages in this article are typical dosages provided by the drug’s manufacturer. If your doctor recommends Truxima for you, they will prescribe the dosage that’s right for you.

If you have questions about the dosage of Truxima that’s best for you, talk with your doctor.

Besides learning about dosage, you may want other information about Truxima. These additional articles might be helpful:

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.