Overview
Biologics are medicines made from living cells that block specific parts of the immune response, such as TNF, IL-6, IL-17, IL-23 or B cells. They are used when conventional DMARDs are not enough, or as first-line treatment for some conditions.
Biologics are given as injections under the skin at home or as infusions into a vein, depending on the medicine.
Watch and learn
Video: “Risks and Benefits of Biologic Medications” from Johns Hopkins Rheumatology on YouTube. It loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play. Shown for general education; GSMC did not produce it. Watch on YouTube
Video: “Biologic Medication Infusion Therapy: What to Expect at Your Infusion Visit” from Johns Hopkins Rheumatology on YouTube. It loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play. Shown for general education; GSMC did not produce it. Watch on YouTube
Captions: press the CC button in the video player to turn on captions. Some captions are generated automatically by YouTube and may contain errors.
How it is used
- Self-injection at home on a set schedule, or an infusion every few weeks to months
- Often combined with methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis
- Screening for tuberculosis and hepatitis is done before starting
Who it may be for
- Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis and axial spondyloarthritis
- Lupus and some forms of vasculitis
Monitoring and safety
Regular follow-up and lab tests. Infusions are currently given at a partner hospital; in-office infusions at GSMC are planned. Call 732-202-3000 for details. Let your care team know about infections, surgery plans or vaccines.
Possible side effects
- Higher risk of infections
- Injection-site or infusion reactions
- Rare serious side effects that your rheumatologist will review
Do not start, stop or change a medicine without talking to your physician.
Frequently asked questions
Are biologics steroids?
No. They are targeted immune medicines.
What if I get sick?
Call your rheumatologist; doses are sometimes held during infections.
Are biosimilars the same?
Biosimilars are highly similar versions of approved biologics with no meaningful differences in safety or effectiveness.
This page is general patient education and does not replace advice from your own clinician. Individual results vary.