[What is special about adalimumab?].

Adalimumab is the first fully human anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) monoclonal antibody and it binds to both soluble and cell-bound TNF-alpha, modulating biological responses linked to this cytokine. Different trials have probed the efficacy of adalimumab even after one week, and accumulated experience in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease shows adalimumab as a safe drug sharing a similar adverse effects profile with the other anti-TNF-alpha molecules. Specific features of adalimumab are revised.