Biologic response modifiers: Indications, implications, and insights

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 139; no. 5; pp. 1445 - 1456
• Main Authors: Davis, Benjamin P., Ballas, Zuhair K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2017; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Animals; Apoptosis; Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Asthma; Asthma - drug therapy; Autoimmune diseases; autoimmunity; biologic response modifiers; Biological Products - adverse effects; Biological Products - pharmacology; Biological Products - therapeutic use; Biologics; Cytokines; Cytokines - immunology; Cytotoxicity; Homeostasis; Human subjects; Humans; immune dysfunction; Immune response; Immune system; immunodeficiency; Immunologic Factors - adverse effects; Immunologic Factors - pharmacology; Immunologic Factors - therapeutic use; Immunomodulation; infection; Inflammatory bowel disease; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - drug therapy; Lymphocytes; Mutation; Rhinitis - drug therapy; Side effects; Sinusitis - drug therapy; Skin; Spondylitis, Ankylosing - drug therapy; T cell receptors; immune dysfunction; infection; Treg; CNS; IBD; PML; RA; autoimmunity; Biologics; biologic response modifiers; immunodeficiency; CTLA-4; BRM
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.02.013

The field of biologic immune modulators is currently mushrooming at a dizzying pace. Although most of these biologics are tested and approved for one or a few indications, their unanticipated side effects and off-label use have contributed significantly to our understanding of basic immune mechanisms, the involvement of cytokines in several apparently nonimmunologic diseases, and the importance of compartmentalized immune responses. In this review we attempt to give a bird's-eye view of the major biologics and to highlight insights and implications derived from their secondary effects and adverse reactions.