title: New biologic agents: a critical appraisal.
abstract: Approval of infliximab for treatment of Crohn's disease in late 1998 was a landmark event in medical therapy for inflammatory bowel disease. This agent was the first of many promised biologic response modifiers investigated in the last half decade, a result of progress in recombinant and monoclonal technologies and improvements in large-scale production of biologic agents. The notable efficacy of infliximab also sets a benchmark against which future biologic agents might be compared. Although it will be many years until active comparisons of these agents are made through clinical trials, sufficient clinical data is now available for critical appraisal of the potential and reality of these agents.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Unit and Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRJ 825a, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Sands
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D000068800:Etanercept; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069285:Infliximab; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C402162:CDP 571; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068800:Etanercept