Decoding Biological Drug Names in Dermatology: The Post-2022 WHO Nomenclature Revision and Its Implications for...

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Dermatology
• Drug Nomenclature

Background:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) International Nonproprietary Names (INN) system for monoclonal antibodies was significantly revised in 2021-2022.
• The universal "-mab" suffix was replaced with structure-based stems (e.g., -tug, -bart, -ment, -mig), and new stems for JAK inhibitors (-citinib), BTK inhibitors (-brutinib), and oral peptide receptor antagonists (-kinra) were introduced.
• These nomenclature changes are not yet widely integrated into dermatology education, despite dermatologists' extensive use of diverse biologic drug classes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide dermatologists with a practical framework for understanding the revised WHO INN system for biologic drugs.
• To equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge to decode complex drug names based on their structure and mechanism of action.
• To highlight the importance of nomenclature literacy for patient safety, adverse event reporting, and biosimilar utilization.

Main Methods:

• A review of the WHO INN system revisions for biologic drug nomenclature.
• Development of a three-step algorithm for decoding biological drug names.
• Compilation of reference tables for 26 approved biologic agents.
• Guidance on biosimilar naming conventions across regulatory agencies (FDA, EMA, CDSCO).

Main Results:

• The revised nomenclature system, with new structural stems, has direct pharmacokinetic implications.
• Two existing agents, sonelokimab and certolizumab pegol, are currently misclassified under the legacy "-mab" suffix.
• The review offers a disease-organized approach to understanding biologic drug names.

Conclusions:

• Nomenclature literacy is a critical patient safety competency for practicing dermatologists.
• Understanding the evolving drug naming system impacts adverse event attribution and biosimilar substitution decisions.
• A systematic approach to decoding biologic drug names is essential for navigating modern dermatological therapies.