Recent developments in molecular therapeutic approaches for rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic synovial inflammation, which results in the progressive destruction of diseased joints. Advances in understanding the disease pathogenesis have led to the clinical introduction of biological inhibitors of inflammation or articular destruction. However, frequency of administration, cost and systemic side effects have driven efforts to develop gene therapeutic transfer strategies. This article reviews recent progress in the application of viral and non-viral vectors to target therapeutic genes for in vivo delivery.