Biologics: The Superheroes of Autoimmune Disease Treatment

Imagine your immune system as a superhero squad, protecting you from villains like viruses and bacteria. Now, picture that same squad turning against you, attacking your own body. That’s the reality for millions of patients battling autoimmune diseases - serious conditions where the immune system goes rogue. But here’s the twist: Biologics, much like new-age heroes are flipping the script.

Unlike traditional drugs that blanket the immune system, biologics are sophisticated therapeutics, crafted from living cells. Think of them as precision-guided missiles seeking out to neutralize the exact cells or molecules causing harm, like the villainous cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis [1], or the erratic T-cells driving lupus [2].

Medications like TNF-blockers have been game-changers, halting joint damage and easing the pain that once crippled rheumatoid arthritis patients [3,4]. For those with psoriasis, biologics like secukinumab clear skin lesions that were once stubbornly resistant to treatment [5]. And in Crohn's disease, biologics such as vedolizumab offer long-term remission for those who previously faced debilitating flare-ups [6]. These treatments aren’t magic-they’re science at its finest. And the best part? We’re only just scratching the surface of their potential.

Biologics are evolving rapidly, with increasingly tailored and effective therapies; offering a future where patients don’t just survive, they thrive. This leads us to foresee a world where the immune system works with you, not against you; a world where patients live their lives without being defined by their disease.

Ready to see how biologics are rewriting the rules of therapeutics? Join us at Biologics Conference 2025, with pioneers of the field, industry leaders, policymakers, all under one roof, for knowledge-sharing and vital conversations shaping the future of biologics and India's role as a global leader in biomanufacturing. Visit our website to register for this premier event! https://www.biologicsworkshop.com/

The revolution has begun, and it’s only going to get better. Welcome to the new era of disease treatment.

Author: Pooja Gupta , Nanomedicine Research Group, ICTMumbai

References:

1. Andreakos, E. T., Foxwell, B. M., Brennan, F. M., Maini, R. N., & Feldmann, M. (2002). Cytokines and anti-cytokine biologicals in autoimmunity: present and future. Cytokine & growth factor reviews, 13(4-5), 299–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1359-6101(02)00018-7
2. Paredes, J. L., Fernandez-Ruiz, R., & Niewold, T. B. (2021). T Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America, 47(3), 379–393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rdc.2021.04.005
3. Biesemann, N., Margerie, D., Asbrand, C., Rehberg, M., Savova, V., Agueusop, I., Klemmer, D., Ding-Pfennigdorff, D., Schwahn, U., Dudek, M., Heyninck, K., De Tavernier, E., Cornelis, S., Kohlmann, M., Nestle, F. O., & Herrmann, M. (2023). Additive efficacy of a bispecific anti-TNF/IL-6 nanobody compound in translational models of rheumatoid arthritis. Science translational medicine, 15(681), eabq4419. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abq4419
4. Hernández-Cruz, B., Otero-Varela, L., Freire-González, M., Busquets-Pérez, N., García González, A. J., Moreno-Ramos, M., Blanco-Madrigal, J. M., Manrique-Arija, S., Perez-Pampin, E., Ruiz-Montesino, D., Sánchez-Alonso, F., SanchezPiedra, C., Castrejón, I., & BIOBADASER Study Group (2024). Janus kinase inhibitors and tumour necrosis factor inhibitors show a favourable safety profile and similar persistence in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthritis: real-world data from the BIOBADASER registry. Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 83(9), 1189–1199. https://doi.org/10.1136/ard-2023-225271
5. Reszke, R., & Szepietowski, J. C. (2017). Secukinumab in the treatment of psoriasis: an update. Immunotherapy, 9(3), 229–238. https://doi.org/10.2217/imt-2016-0128
6. Hui, S., Sinopoulou, V., Gordon, M., Aali, G., Krishna, A., Ding, N. S., & Boyapati, R. K. (2023). Vedolizumab for induction and maintenance of remission in Crohn's disease. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 7(7), CD013611. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013611.pub2