12. Drugs engineered from human genes
A class of medications called biologics—drugs such as etanercept (Enbrel), golimumab (Simponi), and adalimumab (Humira)—are engineered from human genes and are usually an option if you haven’t responded to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
They work by targeting specific parts of the inflammation process rather than suppressing the immune system in general (as older DMARDs do), so they tend to have fewer side effects. One inflammatory target they zero in on is TNF or tumor necrosis factor, a chemical your body makes that drives the inflammation process in RA, says Dr. Marchetta. Unfortunately, biologic drugs are also more expensive than traditional medications.
