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Facilitating Drug Discovery: An Automated High-content Inflammation Assay in Zebrafish
Published on: July 16, 2012
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Small molecules with anti-inflammatory properties in clinical development.
Thomas Hanke1, Daniel Merk1, Dieter Steinhilber1
1Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Pharmacology & Therapeutics
|December 3, 2015
Summary
Chronic inflammation, affecting millions with diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, requires new treatments beyond NSAIDs and glucocorticoids. This review examines novel small molecules in clinical trials, offering hope for more targeted anti-inflammatory therapies.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Immunology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Inflammation is a vital response but chronic inflammation underlies numerous diseases.
- Current treatments like NSAIDs and glucocorticoids have limitations, driving research for better therapies.
- Over 3,000 diseases involve inflammation, highlighting the need for effective anti-inflammatory drugs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current treatments and unmet needs in chronic inflammatory diseases.
- To systematically evaluate small molecules with anti-inflammatory properties in clinical trials.
- To forecast future anti-inflammatory drug development based on clinical trial data.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current anti-inflammatory treatments.
- Systematic search for small molecules in clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, COPD, IBD, and psoriasis.
- Critical analysis of existing research on anti-inflammatory small molecules.
Main Results:
- Identified limitations in current NSAID and glucocorticoid therapies for chronic inflammatory conditions.
- Highlighted emerging small molecules (e.g., roflumilast, fingolimod) showing promise in clinical trials.
- Demonstrated increasing potential for targeted intervention in inflammatory pathways.
Conclusions:
- Existing anti-inflammatory treatments are insufficient for many chronic conditions.
- Novel small molecules in clinical trials represent a promising future for targeted anti-inflammatory therapies.
- Advancements in understanding disease pathophysiology enable more specific drug development.
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