Over the past two decades there have been tremendous advances in the treatment of several forms of arthritis which affect millions of Americans. Diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, and systemic lupus can cause serious health issues if not controlled. Rheumatologists now have more therapeutic choices for patients who do not respond to traditional disease modifying therapies. This newer class of medications is commonly referred to as “biologic therapies”. As a result of the use of these therapies, most patients now have a very good chance of disease remission.
The Biologics
There are a number of biologic drugs available. The right biologic drug for a particular patient depends on the disease being treated and multiple other factors which are unique to each person’s case. Some examples of approved biologic drugs include:
- Actmra
- Cimzia
- Enbrel
- Humira
- Kineret
- Orencia
- Remicade
- Rituxan
- Simponi
- Krystexxa
- Benlysta
- Intravenous Immunoglobulin