TNF inhibitor

TNF inhibitor (Tumor Necrosis Factor) inhibitor(s) are a group of medications that suppress the immune system by blocking the activity of TNF.

TNF-a inhibitors

What is Tumor Necrosis Factor?

TNF is a substance in the body that can cause inflammation and lead to immune system diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis.

Drugs in the class

The drugs in this class include Remicade (infliximab), Enbrel (etanercept), Humira (adalimumab), Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) and Simponi (golimumab).

Medical uses

TNFα blockers are used to treat include the following:

• Crohn's disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Plaque psoriasis and/or
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Side effects

• Since TNFα blockers are immunosuppressants, patients who take these biologic products are at increased risk of serious infections.
• Serious, including fatal, infections are a known risk of TNFα blockers.
• These infections can involve various organ systems and sites due to bacterial, mycobacterial (e.g., tuberculosis), fungal (e.g., histoplasmosis, aspergillosis, candidiasis, coccidioidomycosis, blastomycosis, pneumocystosis), viral (e.g., hepatitis B), and other opportunistic pathogens (organisms that usually do not cause disease in healthy people, but can cause serious illness when a person's immune system (resistance) has weakened).