The term "biologics" can be used to refer to a wide range of biological products in medicine. However, in most cases, the term "biologics" is used more restrictively for a class of medications (either approved or in development) that are produced by means of biological processes involving recombinant DNA technology. These medications are usually one of three types:
• 1) Substances that are (nearly) identical to the body's own key signaling proteins. Examples are the blood-production stimulating protein erythropoetin, or the growth-stimulating hormone named (simply) "growth hormone".
• 2) Monoclonal antibodies. These are similar to the antibodies that the human immune system uses to fight off bacteria and viruses, but they are "custom-designed" (using hybridoma technology or other methods) and can therefore be made specifically to counteract or block any given substance in the body, or to target any specific cell type; examples of such monoclonal antibodies for use in various diseases are given in the table below.
• 3) Receptor constructs (fusion proteins), usually based on a naturally-occurring receptor linked to the immunoglobulin frame. In this case, the receptor provides the construct with detailed specificity, whereas the immunoglobulin-structure imparts stability and other useful features in terms of pharmacology.
Biologics, as a class of medications, have had a profound impact on
many medical fields, primarily rheumatology and oncology; but also cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, neurology, and others. In most of these disciplines, biologics have added major therapeutic options for the treatment of many diseases, including some for which no effective therapies were available, and others where previously existing therapies were clearly inadequate.
We are proud of the fact that since 1975, the San Diego Arthritis Medical Clinic has been a leading investigational site for many new therapies which eventually received full FDA approval resulting in vastly improved conditions for thousands of patients across the globe.
Biologics have been proven effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and lupus. We are currently studying a biologic therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis.
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SOURCE (in part): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biologics
