A pilot study published in NEJM Evidence found that rituximab, a Roche cancer drug developed decades ago, may restore fertility in some women with premature ovarian insufficiency – a condition in which ovarian function declines before age 40. The work was led by Professor Angelica Lindén Hirschberg of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. The researchers called for larger‑scale trials.
The study enrolled 12 women with a mean age of 30.8 years. Participants received two 1‑g infusions of rituximab two weeks apart. Ovarian stimulation was performed before treatment and again 4‑6 months after, with follow‑up continuing for 12 months. None of the women had shown follicle development in response to ovarian hyperstimulation before receiving rituximab.
After treatment, six of ten women developed follicles, allowing mature eggs to be retrieved. Oocytes were frozen or fertilised in five patients, and three underwent embryo transfer – all went on to deliver healthy babies. Embryo transfer was delayed for at least 12 months after rituximab administration for safety reasons. The only serious adverse event recorded during the study was related to ovarian hyperstimulation, not to the immunotherapy.
The lead investigator noted that the findings suggest some patients have an ovarian reserve that can be activated when the autoimmune process is suppressed. However, the authors stressed the need for larger randomised controlled trials to confirm the efficacy and safety of the approach.
Earlier, Russian scientists established a link between the use of GLP‑1 receptor agonist weight‑loss drugs and the restoration of fertility in women with obesity. According to a review of more than 10 studies published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in 2024, similar effects were observed with dulaglutide, liraglutide, semaglutide and other weight‑reducing drugs.
