Adalimumab, sold under the brand name Humira, among others, is a monoclonal antibody used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, uveitis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. It is administered by subcutaneous injection (injection under the skin).
Common side effects include upper respiratory tract infections, pain at the site of injection, rash, and headache. Other side effects may include serious infections, cancer, anaphylaxis, reactivation of hepatitis B, new onset or exacerbation of demyelinating diseases (such as multiple sclerosis), heart failure, liver failure, and aplastic anemia. Use during pregnancy is not recommended, but some sources show use during breastfeeding may be safe.
Adalimumab is a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug and monoclonal antibody that works by inactivating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα).
Adalimumab was approved for medical use in the United States in 2002. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. It is available as a biosimilar medication. In 2020, it was the 205th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 2 million prescriptions.
In the US, adalimumab is indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, adult crohn's disease, pediatric crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and uveitis.
In the EU it is indicated for the treatment of:
plaque psoriasis (a disease causing red, scaly patches on the skin);
psoriatic arthritis (a disease causing red, scaly patches on the skin with inflammation of the joints);
rheumatoid arthritis (a disease causing inflammation of the joints);
axial spondyloarthritis (inflammation of the spine causing back pain), including ankylosing spondylitis and when X-ray does not show disease but there are clear signs of inflammation;
polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis and active enthesitis-related arthritis (both rare diseases causing inflammation in the joints);
Crohn's disease (a disease causing inflammation of the gut);
ulcerative colitis (a disease causing inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the gut);
hidradenitis suppurativa (acne inversa), a long-term skin disease that causes lumps, abscesses (collections of pus) and scarring on the skin;
non-infectious uveitis (inflammation of the layer beneath the white of the eyeball).