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Complement, a target for therapy in inflammatory and degenerative diseases

B Paul Morgan1, Claire L Harris1,2

  • 1Institute of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.

Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery
|October 24, 2015
PubMed

Insights

The complement system, crucial for immunity, can cause harm when overactivated. This review explores anti-complement therapies targeting diseases driven by complement dysregulation.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The complement system is a vital part of innate immunity, defending against pathogens.
  • However, uncontrolled complement activation can lead to inflammation, tissue damage, and various diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the history, current status, and future prospects of anti-complement therapies.
  • To highlight the complement system as a target for drug development.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on complement biology and anti-complement drugs.
  • Analysis of the complement cascade, its components, and regulatory mechanisms.
  • Examination of therapeutic strategies targeting complement.

Main Results:

  • The complement system offers multiple drug development targets due to its complex cascade, proteases, and receptors.
  • Currently, only two anti-complement drugs are approved, but numerous others are in development.
  • Therapies are being developed for infectious, inflammatory, degenerative, traumatic, and neoplastic disorders.

Conclusions:

  • The complement system's dual role in defense and disease makes it a significant therapeutic target.
  • Advancements in structural biology facilitate the design of novel anti-complement drugs.
  • The field of anti-complement therapy is rapidly expanding with promising future directions.

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