Novel therapeutic targets in the treatment of IBD.

BACKGROUND

Advances in mucosal immunology have revealed a broad set of new therapeutic targets to resolve inflammation and symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

OBJECTIVE

Despite the enormous success of anti-TNF therapies in IBD, these treatments have limited efficacy, and there continues to be concerns regarding their toxicity. Thus, a considerable unmet need exists for better treatment of these disorders.

METHODS

New therapeutic targets include other pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-12, IL-17 or IFN-gamma, and others. In addition, molecules directing trafficking of inflammatory cells such as integrin alpha(4)beta(7) or intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) might be attractive candidates as anti-inflammatory targets. Targeting intestine-specific homing by blocking chemokine receptors such as CCR9 might provide a new avenue for treatment in the future.

CONCLUSION

All these and many other different therapies are currently being investigated in IBD, the challenge will be to develop more effective therapies than those currently available.