What are the side effects of biologic therapy?

What are the side effects of biologic therapy?

Biologic agents are usually antibodies against either a lymphocyte such as in the case of rituximab or endothelial growth factor as in the case of bevacizumab used to stop blood vessel growth. So biologic agents work more slowly and the side effects are different. I remember the side effects of biologic agents by remembering that most of them were genetically engineered in mice. And so if somebody gives me a mouse protein into my veins, I am likely to have an allergic reaction. In fact, that's the rule rather than the exception. Things like fevers and chills or hives. So we expect that and we prepare for it with medicines like benedryl and tylenol. Interesting, these reactions only happen the first time. Once a patient is through the first infusion of a biologic agent, they may never have another reaction.