According to the Arthritis Foundation,

"Biologics are a special type of powerful drug that slows or stops damaging inflammation.

Biologics are a special type of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD). In most cases, they are prescribed when conventional DMARDs have not worked. These powerful drugs work very well for many people with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and other forms of inflammatory arthritis.

They are harder to make than conventional DMARDs, so they can cost more than many of the medicines you may take. Some come as a shot that you give yourself and some have to be given in the doctor’s office through an IV (intravenous) infusion.

They weaken your ability to fight germs, so you may get infections while taking biologics.

One biologic may work very well for some people, but not for others. A biologic may work for you at first, but then stop working after a while. If the first one you try doesn’t work for you, your doctor has other options."