Remicade (infliximab) is a chimeric IgG1k monoclonal antibody used
to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and ankylosing spondylitis
. Remicade is also used to treat severe or disabling plaque psoriasis (raised, silvery flaking of the skin).
What does Remicade do to your body?
Generic Name: infliximab
Infliximab works
by blocking the actions of a certain natural substance
(tumor necrosis factor alpha) in the body. This helps to decrease swelling (inflammation) and weaken your immune system, which slows or stops the damage from the disease.
How does Remicade work?
Given intravenously, Remicade works
by attacking a protein known as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
, believed to cause the inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease. The drug is approved for use in patients with moderate to severe disease who have failed other treatment or have specific complications.
What can I expect from Remicade infusion?
The infusion time is
usually 2 hours
, may be shorter for some patients. During this time, you may eat, drink, visit the toilet, work, read, talk to other patients, ask the nurse any questions you might have, or just relax.
Does Remicade weaken the immune system?
REMICADE is a medicine that affects your immune system.
REMICADE can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections
. Serious infections have happened in patients receiving REMICADE.
How long can you stay on Remicade?
There is no limit on the amount of time a patient can take Remicade
(infliximab). The drug has been available since 1998, and many patients have been successfully treated and have been on Remicade for more than six years.
Can Remicade cause weight gain?
In the first clinical studies of Remicade, people who took the drug
didn’t report weight gain
. But there have been small studies, such as this one , in which Remicade was linked to gaining weight.
Is Remicade a form of chemotherapy?
Share on Pinterest A doctor can administer chemotherapy drugs intravenously or by injection. Infliximab (Remicade) is
a type of tumor necrosis factor
(TNF)-blocker. TNF is a specific protein that helps regulate the immune cells. Part of its job includes creating inflammation.
Does Remicade work immediately?
How long it takes to work, and whether or not it will work, varies from person-to-person. Some people report an improvement in symptoms after a few days, others
up to 6 weeks after their first infusion
.
Is Remicade expensive?
How Much Does Remicade Cost? A single dose of Remicade can cost
from $1,300 to $2,500
. The first step is determining insurance coverage for the infusion. Medicare does cover Remicade infusions.
How bad is Remicade for you?
Remicade can increase your
risk of serious infections
that may lead to hospitalization or death. This drug affects your immune system. It can decrease your body’s ability to fight infections such as tuberculosis or infections caused by different bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.
Can Remicade cause hair loss?
Alopecia
, a condition that causes hair loss, is another possible long-term effect of Remicade. People with alopecia may lose the hair on their scalp, face, and other areas of the body. If you need to use Remicade long term, your doctor will test you for serious infections.
How often are Remicade infusions given?
Infusions
every 8 weeks after 3 induction doses
. REMICADE® is administered by intravenous (IV) infusion over a period of not less than 2 hours.
Who should not take Remicade?
The following people may be at greater risk for developing cancer when taking Remicade: those with
COPD
.
women older than age 60 years
who have RA. those with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and who are taking a TNF-alpha blocker as well as azathioprine or methotrexate.
Patients who received Remicade for inflammatory bowel disease had
weakened anti-COVID-19 antibody responses
following a single vaccination dose, according to research published in Gut.
Can you drink alcohol while on Remicade?
A drink or two shouldn’t be a problem if you’re on a biologic drug like adalimumab (Humira) or infliximab (Remicade). “
There’s no real interaction with alcohol, so
those all should be safe,” Swanson says. You do need to be cautious when you take immunomodulators like azathioprine (Azasan) and methotrexate, though.
