This is the first book comprising all relevant aspects for the clinical application of biologics. All biologics currently approved for clinical use are described in a standardized way concentrating on practically relevant aspects such as contra-indications or monitoring needs. The "differential therapy" with biologics namely in the fields of dermatology, rheumatology, gastroenterology, and neurology is described in detail and summarized in treatment algorithms. Shorter sections on the biotechnology behind the biologics as well as safety, regulatory, and pharmaco-economic aspects complement the more clinically-oriented central chapters. The book is intended for researchers and clinicians.

Autorentext

Wolf-Henning Boehncke is a scholar of the German Scholarship Foundation. His research work has been supported by continuous funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG). He was awarded numerous prestigious prizes including the Galenus-von Pergamon Prize. Currently, he is head of the Allergy/Immunology Section at the Center for Dermatology at Frankfurt University. He is a member of numerous national and international boards involved in setting up guidelines for the clinical use of biologicals.

Heinfried H. Radeke is holding the Dr.-Schleussner-Foundation of Immune Pharmacology professorship. His research work has been supported by continuous funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG). His specialization is in pharmacology, clinical pharmacology and immunology. His numerous publications reflect the intensive research he has been doing for the past 15 years in the fields of chronic inflammation, transplantation and immune pharmacology. He is actively involved in the establishment of the new B.Sc./M.Sc. studies in Molecular Medicine at Goethe University Frankfurt. He is also involved in the development of the curricula and the lecture courses of the recently established graduate college "Biologicals" (GK1172) at Goethe University Frankfurt.

Zusammenfassung
The idea for this book was born during the symposium on biologics organized by ZAFES (Center for Drug Research, Development and Safety at the University of Frankfurt am Main) in September 2005. Highly distinguished researchers special- ing in the field of biologics had gathered together to exchange information on this relatively new subject. Realizing that this symposium was one of the few sources of condensed information on biologics, it became obvious that we had to create a means of informing an interested wider circle of scientists and especially general c- nicians. Therefore, the editors of this book suggested to the researchers at the symposium andalsotoprominent scientists andcliniciansinvolvedinthe developmentand application of biologics as their major field of interest the idea of assembling this compendium. We received an overwhelmingly positive response thankfully also from the publisher most being more than willing to support this innovative project with highly relevant chapters on the latest state of the art. As we were eager to fill the information gap with up-to-date knowledge, the project had to be finished within the shortest time possible. To all experienced with editing this was obviously a ch- lengeand we areverythankfultoall thecontributorsthatour timeline hadtobe extended by only a few months. This book represents a collection of the most recent knowledge on biologics written by people who have been active in the field for many years. Wolf-Henning Boehncke Heinfried H. Radeke Contents 1 Introduction: Definition and Classification of Biologics W. -H. Boehncke, H. H. Radeke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Inhalt
Introduction: Definition and Classification of Biologics.- Introduction: Definition and Classification of Biologics.- Development and Pre-clinical Pharmacology of Biologics.- Infliximab: From the Idea to the Product.- Adalimumab.- Etanercept.- Efalizumab: Antibody Characteristics, Mode of Action and Preclinical Development.- Monoclonal Antibody Targeted Radiation Cancer Therapy.- The Production of Biopharmaceuticals.- Disease-Specific Applications and Clinical Trials.- Treating Autoimmune Bullous Skin Disorders with Biologics.- Biologics in Psoriasis.- Biologic Agents in Psoriatic Arthritis.- Biologic Therapies for Rheumatoid Arthritis Targeting TNF-? and IL-1.- Biologics in Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: Focus on Tumor Necrosis Factor Antagonists.- Multiple Sclerosis: New Immunobiologics.- Biologics in Cutaneous Lymphoma.- Biologics in Targeted Cancer Therapy.- Safety and Perspectives.- Safety Aspects of Biologics: Lessons Learnt from Monoclonal Antibodies.- New Biological Therapeutics in the Genome Age.- Evidence Based Medicine's Perspective on Biologics.