Emerging small molecule and biological therapeutic approaches for the treatment of autoimmunity

Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2011 Jan;20(1):23-39. doi: 10.1517/13543784.2011.540569. Epub 2010 Dec 1.

Abstract

Importance of the field: Biological therapeutics targeting TNF-α, IL-6, CD20 and CD80/86 is proving to be an important weapon in the clinicians' armory to fight autoimmunity alongside long-standing small molecule therapeutics such as methotrexate and glucocorticoids. However, there still remains a high unmet clinical need in the field of autoimmunity and many researchers are continuing to discover and develop new therapeutics to address this.

Areas covered in this review: A new wave of small molecule and biological therapeutics targeting different pathways is being developed which could generate exciting new options for clinicians. This review aims to highlight those emerging therapies that are most advanced in clinical development.

What the reader will gain: The reader will gain an appreciation of new approaches being developed to address the high unmet clinical need in the field of autoimmunity.

Take home message: Despite recent success in the development of therapeutics to treat autoimmunity, new therapeutic strategies are being developed to address the remaining areas of a high unmet clinical need.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / immunology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Drug Design
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / pharmacology*
  • Interleukin-6 / immunology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Interleukin-6
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha