Biotherapies in Medical Practice: A Review and the Nigerian Experience.

Biologics or Biological agents are pharmaceuticals manufactured, extracted from or semi synthesized from biological sources and used in the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of diseases. When used for rheumatic diseases, they are monoclonal antibodies targeting wide range of peptide mediators (cytokines), receptors and cells. They have complex structures and are about 200 to 1000 times larger than chemical molecule drugs.