Infliximab

Infliximab (Remicade) is a monoclonal antibody against TNFα. It is used to treat autoimmune diseases. Infliximab has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of psoriasis, Crohn's disease, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis. Remicade won its initial approval by the FDA for the treatment of Crohn's disease in August 1998. Infliximab works by binding to tumour nec... more

Infliximab (Remicade) is a monoclonal antibody against TNFα. It is used to treat autoimmune diseases. Infliximab has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of psoriasis, Crohn's disease, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis. Remicade won its initial approval by the FDA for the treatment of Crohn's disease in August 1998. Infliximab works by binding to tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). TNFα is a chemical messenger (cytokine) and a key part of the autoimmune reaction. Originally, it was assumed that Infliximab works by blocking the action of TNFα by preventing it from binding to its receptor in the cell, and for the action of infliximab in reumatoid arthritis this still seems to be true. Another TNFα-neutralizing medication,however, Enbrel is worse than a placebo in Crohn's disease and thus TNFα-neutralisation is not responsible for its powerful action in the latter disease . As infliximab causes... less