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Clinical promise of next-generation complement therapeutics
Dimitrios C Mastellos1, Daniel Ricklin2, John D Lambris3
1National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Athens, Greece.
Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery
|July 21, 2019
Summary
The complement system is crucial for immunity but can cause inflammation when dysregulated. New complement inhibitors are advancing to treat various diseases, offering hope for better patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Immunology and Molecular Medicine
- Drug Discovery and Development
Background:
- The complement system is vital for immune defense and tissue repair.
- Dysregulation of complement contributes to inflammatory diseases.
- Targeting complement has proven effective for rare disorders like PNH and aHUS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent clinical advancements in complement inhibitor drug discovery.
- To provide a translational perspective on complement-targeted therapies.
- To guide selection of targets and interventions for various diseases.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent clinical milestones in complement drug discovery.
- Analysis of preclinical and human genome-wide studies.
- Incorporation of new molecular and structural insights into pathomechanisms.
Main Results:
- A new generation of complement inhibitors is in clinical development for diverse indications.
- Novel pathomechanisms and unmet clinical needs have been identified.
- Recent studies highlight the therapeutic potential of complement modulation.
Conclusions:
- Targeting the complement system is a promising therapeutic strategy.
- Understanding complement pathomechanisms is key to developing effective treatments.
- Disease-tailored complement intervention strategies are emerging.
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