Biologics are an up-and-coming class of drugs that are produced and designed via biological means.  That is to say, they are designed or isolated from living, natural sources to interact with the human body in specific ways.  Biologics are conceptualized out of what is known about cellular biology rather than the more common trial-and-error type of the development that has characterized pharmaceutical development for most of history. They seem to be the next big thing in drug treatments since, by my understanding, they attack diseases or any given health condition more directly, at the cellular level.

The psoriasis treatment Enbrel (etanercept) is a well known biologic designed to alter a specific aspect of human the immune system — TNF-receptors.  Etanercept is a genetically-engineered (custom-designed), synthetic protein designed to make the body forget about sending as many white blood cells to affected areas of the body, thus reducing inflammation.

Another biologic, Remicade (infliximab), is a close relative of Enbrel, as it also prevents TNF from creating excessive inflammation.  Both of these drugs inhibit TNF (which stands for tumour necrosis factor), though in different capacities, resulting in different psoriasis treatment results.  Both of Enbrel and Remicade drugs are selective immunosuppressants, which is to say, they inhibit the body’s immune system from wreaking as much havoc on the body as it might otherwise.

The goal here is to create treatments that isolate and bind the “bad” cells, or the ones that bring about undesirable side effects (such as the symptoms that characterize psoriasis).