When this in vitro bioassay potency is combined with the use of anti-mICOSL VNAR-Fc in vivo as surrogate drugs for accelerated development, these biologics exhibit excellent efficacy in a predictive mouse model of CIA demonstrating their ease of reformatting, simplicity of production, and potential to bring relief to the 40% of patients that do not respond to first-line anti-TNF therapies in RA and other debilitating autoimmune diseases. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.