Decoding biological drug names in dermatology: The post-2022 WHO nomenclature revision and its implications for clinical practice.

The WHO International Nonproprietary Names system for monoclonal antibodies underwent its most fundamental revision in 2021 to 2022, retiring the universal -mab suffix and replacing it with 4 structure-based stems (-tug, -bart, -ment, -mig). Simultaneously, new stems for Janus kinase inhibitors (-citinib), Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (-brutinib), and oral peptide receptor antagonists (-kinra) have entered dermatological practice. These changes are not yet systematically addressed in dermatology education. Dermatologists prescribe the broadest range of biologic drug classes of any specialty, spanning anti-TNF, anti-interleukin, checkpoint inhibitor, Janus kinase/tyrosine kinase 2/Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and oral peptide antagonist therapies. This review provides a practical, disease-organized framework for decoding biological drug names, with a three-step algorithm, reference tables covering 26 approved agents, and guidance on biosimilar naming across FDA, European Medicines Agency, and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (India) systems. The post-2022 structural stems carry direct pharmacokinetic implications, and 2 currently used agents (sonelokimab and certolizumab pegol) are structurally misclassified under their legacy-mab names. Nomenclature literacy directly affects adverse event attribution, biosimilar substitution decisions, and pipeline evaluation. Understanding this evolving system is a patient safety competency for practicing dermatologists.