“While the FDA urged clinicians to screen
patients for HBV prior to starting treatments with ofatumumab and
rituximab to prevent the reoccurrence of the virus, this may be just the
tip of the iceberg,” Adrian Di Bisceglie, MD, from
Saint Louis University School of Medicine, said in a press release. “Our
research suggests that the issue of HBV reactivation may be an
under-appreciated clinical challenge that extends well beyond the use of
just two anti-CD20 medications.”
In September 2013,
the FDA issued a boxed warning
for Arzerra (oftatumumab, GlaxoSmithKline) and Rituxan (rituximab,
Genentech). The warning encouraged screening for HBV in all patients
prior to beginning these specific therapies.