Adalimumab is an injectable prescription drug used to treat diseases of the immune system; it is marketed by Abbot as Humira. It is one of three drugs that work by inhibiting the potent inflammatory molecule tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha); the others are etanercept (Enbrel) and infliximab (Remicade). Like etanercept and infliximab, adalimumab is a large protein molecule made with recombinant DNA technology. Adalimumab is a monoclonal antibody of the IgG1 subtype that has been "humanized", meaning that all of its components are derived from human molecules.
In recent years, scientists have developed monoclonal antibodies -; proteins that mimic the body's own immune defenses -; that can combat a variety of diseases, including some cancers and autoimmune disorders such as Crohn's disease.