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Remicade (infliximab)
Infliximab binds to TNFα, blocking its interaction with receptors, reducing inflammation and immune responses.
Infliximab (Remicade), developed by Johnson & Johnson, holds a strong market position as one of the leading anti-TNFα therapies with 9 approved indications. Its competitive advantage lies in its well-established mechanism of action, which effectively reduces inflammation and immune responses by binding to TNFα. A key risk is the lack of ongoing clinical trials, which may limit future expansion and innovation. The pipeline outlook remains uncertain, particularly given the presence of strong competitors like etanercept, adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, and golimumab, and the requirement for a PD-L1 companion diagnostic for several indications.
At a glance
| Generic name | infliximab |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Johnson & Johnson |
| Drug class | Monoclonal antibody |
| Target | TNFα |
| Modality | Monoclonal antibody |
| Therapeutic area | Oncology |
| Phase | discontinued |
| First approval | 1998 |
Mechanism of action
Infliximab works by binding to both soluble and transmembrane forms of TNFα, a protein that plays a key role in inflammation. By blocking TNFα, infliximab prevents it from binding to its receptors, thereby reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory responses. This helps to alleviate symptoms in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Approved indications
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Behcet's disease
- Crohn's disease
- Erythrodermic psoriasis
- Plaque psoriasis
- Psoriasis with arthropathy
- Pustular psoriasis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ulcerative colitis
Common side effects
- Infections (upper respiratory, sinusitis, pharyngitis)
- Infusion-related reactions
- Headache
- Abdominal pain
- Fever or chills
- Cardiopulmonary reactions (chest pain, hypotension, hypertension, dyspnea)
- Pruritus
- Urticaria
Serious adverse events
- Serious infusion reactions
- Anaphylaxis
- Convulsions
- Erythematous rash
- Hypotension
- Serious infusion reactions on re-administration
Drug interactions
- Other Biological Products (TNF blockers, anakinra, abatacept)
- Tocilizumab
- Methotrexate (MTX)
- Immunosuppressants
- Cytochrome P450 Substrates (e.g., warfarin, cyclosporine, theophylline)
- Live Vaccines
- Therapeutic Infectious Agents
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| FDA label | Mechanism, indications, dosing, boxed warnings, drug interactions |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Remicade CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Remicade updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Johnson & Johnson portfolio CI