Remicade is an anti‑inflammatory medicine. It is usually used when other medicines or treatments have failed, in adults with the following diseases: * rheumatoid arthritis (an immune system disease causing inflammation of the joints). Remicade is used with methotrexate (a medicine that acts on the immune system); * Crohn’s disease (a disease causing inflammation of the digestive tract), when the disease is moderate to severe or fistulising (with the formation of fistulae, abnormal passageways between the gut and other organs); * ulcerative colitis (a disease causing inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the gut); * ankylosing spondylitis (a disease causing inflammation and pain in the joints of the spine); * psoriatic arthritis (a disease causing red, scaly patches on the skin and inflammation of the joints); * psoriasis (a disease causing red, scaly patches on the skin). Remicade is also used in patients aged between 6 and 17 years with severe, active Crohn’s disease or severely active ulcerative colitis, when they have not responded to or cannot take other medicines or treatments. Remicade contains the active substance infliximab.
Therapeutic Indication
**Rheumatoid arthritis** Remicade, in combination with methotrexate, is indicated for the reduction of signs and symptoms as well as the improvement in physical function in: * adult patients with active disease when the response to disease\-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including methotrexate, has been inadequate; * adult patients with severe, active and progressive disease not previously treated with methotrexate or other DMARDs. In these patient populations, a reduction in the rate of the progression of joint damage, as measured by X\-ray, has been demonstrated. **Adult Crohn's disease** Remicade is indicated for: * treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn's disease, in adult patients who have not responded despite a full and adequate course of therapy with a corticosteroid and / or an immunosuppressant; or who are intolerant to or have medical contraindications for such therapies; * treatment of fistulising, active Crohn's disease, in adult patients who have not responded despite a full and adequate course of therapy with conventional treatment (including antibiotics, drainage and immunosuppressive therapy). **Paediatric Crohn's disease** Remicade is indicated for treatment of severe, active Crohn's disease, in children and adolescents aged six to 17 years, who have not responded to conventional therapy including a corticosteroid, an immunomodulator and primary nutrition therapy; or who are intolerant to or have contraindications for such therapies. Remicade has been studied only in combination with conventional immunosuppressive therapy. **Ulcerative colitis** Remicade is indicated for treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis in adult patients who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy including corticosteroids and 6\-mercaptopurine (6\-MP) or azathioprine (AZA), or who are intolerant to or have medical contraindications for such therapies. **Paediatric ulcerative colitis** Remicade is indicated for treatment of severely active ulcerative colitis, in paediatric patients aged six to 17 years, who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy including corticosteroids and 6\-MP or AZA, or who are intolerant to or have medical contraindications for such therapies. **Ankylosing spondylitis** Remicade is indicated for treatment of severe, active ankylosing spondylitis, in adult patients who have responded inadequately to conventional therapy. **Psoriatic arthritis** Remicade is indicated for treatment of active and progressive psoriatic arthritis in adult patients when the response to previous DMARD therapy has been inadequate. Remicade should be administered: * in combination with methotrexate; * or alone in patients who show intolerance to methotrexate or for whom methotrexate is contraindicated. Remicade has been shown to improve physical function in patients with psoriatic arthritis, and to reduce the rate of progression of peripheral joint damage as measured by X\-ray in patients with polyarticular symmetrical subtypes of the disease. **Psoriasis** Remicade is indicated for treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients who failed to respond to, or who have a contraindication to, or are intolerant to other systemic therapy including cyclosporine, methotrexate or psoralen ultraviolet A (PUVA).
Therapeutic Area (MeSH)
ATC Code
L04AB02
ATC Item
N/A
Pharmacotherapeutic Group
Immunosuppressants
Active Substance (Summary)
INN / Common Names
| Substance | CAS | Monograph |
|---|---|---|
| infliximab | N/A | infliximab |
EMA Name
Remicade
Medicine Name
Remicade
Aliases
N/ANo risk management plan link.
