What is "infliximab"

n. A chimeric monoclonal antibody used to treat autoimmune disorders.

n. an anti-TNF compound (trade name Remicade) consisting of an antibody directed against TNF; it is given intravenously at one- to three-month intervals; used in treatment of regional enteritis and rheumatoid arthritis [syn: Remicade]

Infliximab (trade names Remicade among others) is a chimeric monoclonal antibody biologic drug that works against tumor necrosis factor alpha ( TNF-α) and is used to treat autoimmune diseases. Infliximab was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is used off-label outside its FDA approval for Behçet's disease and other conditions. Infliximab is administered by intravenous infusion, typically at six- to eight-week intervals. It cannot be given by mouth because the digestive system would destroy the drug.

Infliximab works by binding to TNF-α. TNF-α is a chemical messenger ( cytokine) and a key part of the autoimmune reaction. In rheumatoid arthritis, infliximab seems to work by preventing TNF-α from binding to its receptor in the cell.

Infliximab is an artificial antibody. It was originally developed in mice as a mouse antibody. Because humans have immune reactions to mouse proteins, the mouse common domains were replaced with similar human antibody domains. They are monoclonal antibodies and have identical structures and affinities to the target. Because they are a combination of mouse and human antibody amino acid sequences, they are called a "chimeric monoclonal antibody". In the United States, Remicade/infliximab can cost $19,000 to $22,000 a year per patient wholesale, according to Centocor in 2007.

Infliximab biosimilars have been approved in the EU (2013), Japan (2014), and USA (2016).