Therapeutic target of memory B cells depletion helps to tailor administration frequency of rituximab in myasthenia gravis

Abstract Rituximab (RTX) has demonstrated efficacy in limiting relapses in myasthenia gravis (MG). We investigated the interest of CD27 + memory B cell monitoring in patients as a biological marker of clinical relapse. Twenty-four patients have been treated with RTX (375 mg/m 2 /week-month as an induction treatment). Maintenance treatment consisted with either systematic treatment every 3 months or only when CD27 + memory B cells were detectable. After the induction treatment, the mean infusions were 1.3/year compared with 4/year. We suggest that RTX administration frequency can be decreased safely by monitoring the re-emerging CD27 + memory B cells.