Table 2.

Anti-TNF-α antagonists for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Drug	Primary action	Route of adminstration	Usual dose	Half life
Infliximab	Chimeric anti-TNF-α antibody	Intravenous infusion	3 mg/kg body weight at 0, 2, 6 week, then 8 weekly	9 days
			Gradual increase to 10 mg/kg if incomplete response
Etanercept	Soluble TNF-α fusion protein	Subcutaneous injection	25 mg twice/wk	4 days
	Binds TNF-α and β		or 50 mg once/wk
Adalimumab	Human anti-TNF-α antibody	Subcutaneous injection	40 mg every second week	2 wk

Adapted from Olsen & Stein [100] with kind permission from the publisher. TNF, Tumour necrosis factor; wk, Week.