Crohn disease (CD) is a progressive, inflammatory bowel disease that can occur in any part of the digestive tract. While CD affects people of all ages, approximately 25% to 30% of all CD patients develop symptoms before the age of 20 years. In the United States, approximately 100,000 to 150,000 children aged = 17 years have CD, and the incidence of pediatric CD appears to be increasing. The cause of pediatric CD remains unclear, but it is thought to be a complex interaction among environmental, genetic, and immunoregulatory factors. There is no known cure for CD. Treatment may include medication, nutrition supplements, surgery, or a combination of these options. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) is an inflammatory protein that is part of the body's natural inflammatory and immune response, but when produced in excess, plays a key role in the inflammatory responses of some autoimmune diseases. Increased levels of TNF-a have been found in stool, urine, and mucosal biopsy specimens from patients with active CD. Thus, targeted therapy against TNF-a has become a logical therapeutic option for patients with CD.