Immunology and rheumatology

56 drugs

Antiproliferative immunosuppressants

• About this sectionDrugs that stop immune cells from multiplying by starving them of the building blocks of DNA. Used in…
• AzathioprinePurine synthesis, through thioguanine nucleotides
• Mycophenolate mofetilInosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH)

Calcineurin inhibitors

• About this sectionTransplant medicines that stop T cells from switching on by blocking calcineurin. Their blood levels are…
• CiclosporinCalcineurin, through cyclophilin A
• TacrolimusCalcineurin, through FKBP12

Complement inhibitors

• About this sectionAntibodies and peptides that block a step of the complement cascade, used in PNH, atypical HUS and some…
• EculizumabComplement component C5 (plasma protein)
• PegcetacoplanComplement component C3 (plasma protein)
• RavulizumabComplement component C5 (plasma protein)

Conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)

• About this sectionSlow-acting medicines that calm the immune attack in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus and protect the joints…
• HydroxychloroquineAcidic intracellular vesicles (lysosomes; the malaria parasite's food vacuole)
• LeflunomideDihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH)

Hereditary angioedema agents

• About this sectionDrugs that stop or prevent bradykinin swelling in hereditary angioedema: C1 inhibitor, a bradykinin receptor…
• BerotralstatPlasma kallikrein (serine protease)
• C1 esterase inhibitorProteases it inhibits: plasma kallikrein, activated factor XII and complement C1r/C1s
• IcatibantBradykinin B2 receptor (G-protein–coupled)
• LanadelumabPlasma kallikrein

Immunoglobulins and antitoxins

• About this sectionReady-made antibodies, human or equine, that give immediate but temporary protection against a toxin, a…
• Anti-D immunoglobulin (Rho(D))RhD antigen on fetal red cells
• Diphtheria antitoxin (equine)Circulating diphtheria toxin
• Human tetanus immunoglobulinFree tetanospasmin (tetanus toxin)
• NirsevimabFusion (F) protein of respiratory syncytial virus
• Normal human immunoglobulin (IVIG)Broad repertoire of antigens and Fc receptors
• Rabies immunoglobulinRabies virus glycoprotein G

Interferons

• About this sectionProtein medicines copied from the body's antiviral signals. Once central for hepatitis, they are now used…
• Interferon alfaType I interferon receptor (IFNAR1/IFNAR2)
• Interferon betaType I interferon receptor (IFNAR1/IFNAR2)
• Interferon gammaInterferon gamma receptor (IFNGR1/IFNGR2)

Interleukin inhibitors

• About this sectionBiologics that block one interleukin (IL-1, IL-6, IL-12/23 or IL-17) or its receptor, chosen according to…
• AnakinraInterleukin-1 receptor type 1 (IL-1R1)
• CanakinumabInterleukin-1β (IL-1β)
• GuselkumabInterleukin-23, p19 subunit (IL-23p19)
• IxekizumabInterleukin-17A (IL-17A)
• RisankizumabInterleukin-23, p19 subunit (IL-23p19)
• SarilumabInterleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R)
• SecukinumabInterleukin-17A (IL-17A)
• TocilizumabInterleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R), soluble and membrane-bound
• Ustekinumabp40 subunit shared by interleukin-12 and interleukin-23

JAK inhibitors

• About this sectionSmall oral molecules that block Janus kinases inside cells, cutting the signal of many cytokines at once…
• AbrocitinibJanus kinase 1 (JAK1)
• BaricitinibJanus kinases JAK1 and JAK2
• DeucravacitinibTyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2), regulatory pseudokinase (JH2) domain
• RuxolitinibJanus kinases JAK1 and JAK2
• TofacitinibJanus kinases, mainly JAK1 and JAK3
• UpadacitinibJanus kinase 1 (JAK1)

mTOR inhibitors

• About this sectionDrugs that block mTOR, a master switch of cell growth: used to prevent transplant rejection and to treat…
• EverolimusmTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin), through FKBP12
• SirolimusmTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin), through FKBP12

Other antigout agents

• About this sectionMedicines for gout that do not block xanthine oxidase: colchicine for flares, probenecid to pass more urate…
• Colchicineβ-tubulin (microtubules)
• PegloticaseUric acid (the drug is the enzyme uricase)
• ProbenecidUrate transporter URAT1 (and organic anion transporters OAT1 and OAT3)

Other immunomodulating biologics

• About this sectionBiologics that act on lymphocytes rather than on a cytokine: they block T-cell co-stimulation, the IL-2…
• AbataceptCD80 and CD86 (B7-1 and B7-2) on antigen-presenting cells
• AnifrolumabType I interferon receptor subunit 1 (IFNAR1)
• Anti-thymocyte globulinMany T-lymphocyte surface proteins (CD2, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD25, HLA molecules and others)
• BasiliximabIL-2 receptor alpha chain (CD25)
• BelataceptCD80 and CD86 (B7-1 and B7-2) on antigen-presenting cells
• BelimumabB-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS, also called BAFF)
• Vedolizumabα4β7 integrin on gut-homing lymphocytes

TNF inhibitors

• About this sectionBiologic medicines that block TNF-α, a key cytokine of inflammation. Used in rheumatoid arthritis…
• AdalimumabTumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), soluble and membrane-bound
• Certolizumab pegolTumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)
• EtanerceptTumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)
• GolimumabTumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)
• InfliximabTumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)

Xanthine oxidase inhibitors

• About this sectionDrugs that cut uric acid production by blocking the last enzyme of purine breakdown. The long-term treatment…
• AllopurinolXanthine oxidase
• FebuxostatXanthine oxidase

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Educational content on how drugs work; not a prescribing guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.

Representative model, for educational purposes only.