Immune system modifiers / Immunosuppressives
I. Immunosuppressives
Chemical classes
1. Glucocorticoids: DEXAMETHASONE, PREDNISONE
- used in the treatment of cancers whose cells express the requisite receptors (e.g. prednisone-sensitive lymphomas)
2. Antibiotics: CYCLOSPORINE, TACROLIMUS
- used to prevent rejection following bone marrow transplantation
- other drugs in this chemical class (EVERLOLIMUS, TEMSIROLIMUS) are now known to function as mTOR inhibitors, these drugs have anti-angiogenic, anti-cell proliferation properties, and they can be used to overcome chemotherapy resistance
3. Antibodies and fusion proteins: ALEMTUZUMAB, DENILEUKIN DIFTITUX, IBRITUMOMAB, RITUXIMAB, TOSITUMOMAB
- used for specific leukemia and lymphomas because they target unique CDs