Abstract
Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune blistering disease with the production of autoantibodies against desmosome structures and subsequently the formation of an intraepidermal acantholytic blister. The clinical picture is dominated by the involvement of the skin and mucous membranes with the formation of scaly vesicles or bullae that easily erode.
Systemic corticoids are mainly used in therapy in combination with adjuvant therapy. Rituximab, an anti-CD20 antibody, brought a fundamental change to the treatment of this disease, inducing a high rate of disease remission.
Additionally, in pivotal clinical studies (RITUX-3), a corticoid-sparing effect was demonstrated, which alleviates a number of side effects from long-term corticotherapy. Rituximab is currently the drug of first choice in the adjuvant treatment of severe and moderate forms of pemphigus vulgaris.