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Biologic Treatments for Inflammatory Arthritis

The information provided on this web page is intended for general information purposes only. Information concerning any product is not intended to provide or substitute medical advice provided by a doctor or healthcare professional. This web page is not intended to offer medical diagnosis or provide patient-specific treatment advice. Always consult your doctor on matters relating to your health condition and treatments.

What is a biologic treatment?

A biological medicine, or biologic, is a type of treatment for some long-term medical conditions like axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Unlike some medications such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, biologic medicines are made from living organisms. The material they are made from can come from many sources, including humans, animals and microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast.

Biologics are specifically designed to block certain parts of the immune system. Because they are proteins, these medications cannot be given as a tablet. Instead they are given via an injection under the skin or into the blood.

Biological therapies are given to people who have already tried other treatments appropriate to their condition and not responded well to them. Biological therapies are often given alongside other medications.

Role of biologic treatments in inflammatory arthritis

Biologic medicines can help to reduce excess inflammation, pain and stiffness.

It can take up to 3–6 months to see an improvement with a biologic medication. However, if there is still no improvement or there are serious side effects, it is usually recommended to stop the treatment. Your rheumatologist might then suggest another medication instead. Not every biologic medication works in the same way, so if one doesn't work, another might still be an option.

Biologic medicines used to treat inflammatory arthritis

There are four types of biologic therapy to treat the different forms of inflammatory arthritis. They all work by reducing the excess inflammation present in the body.

Anti-TNF treatment

Anti-TNF treatments disrupt the action of a protein called tumour necrosis factor (TNF) which is over-active in people with inflammatory arthritis.

Too much TNF causes inflammation and damage to bones, cartilage and tissue. Anti-TNF treatments block how TNF works and can reduce the amount of excess inflammation present in your body and joints.

Anti-IL treatment

People with inflammatory arthritis have very high levels of proteins called interleukins in their body. Interleukins play an important role in causing the excess inflammation associated with inflammatory arthritis. Anti-IL treatments work by neutralising the activity of certain interleukins and can reduce the amount of excess inflammation present in your body and joints.

B-cell therapy

Inflammatory arthritis causes the body's immune system to become over-active causing a group of cells in the body’s immune system, called B-cells, to attack the body’s own tissues by mistake. B-cell therapy works by lowering the activity of B-cells, to reduce inflammation, pain and swelling in rheumatoid arthritis.

T-cell therapy

T-cells are a group of cells in the body’s immune system that attack the body’s own tissues, causing swelling and joint damage. T-cell therapy works by stopping T-cells from communicating with one another and this helps to reduce inflammation. This type of therapy is only used for severe inflammatory arthritis in certain situations.

Injecting a Biologic Medication

If you, or a friend or family member, have been prescribed a biologic medication, this video will provide top tips that may make injecting more comfortable.

The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional medical care. If you have any concerns about your health or medicine, you should consult your healthcare specialist or general practitioner.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the patient information leaflet. You can also report side effects directly in the UK via the Yellow Card Scheme website: https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ or via the the MHRA Yellow Card App in the Google Play or Apple App Store. In Ireland please report via the HPRA at https://www.hpra.ie/homepage/about-us/report-an-issue.

You can also report adverse events to UCB at UCBCares.UK@ucb.com or UCBCares.IE@ucb.com.

Images used are not of real patients. _{IE-DA-2300080. September 2023}

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