The right drug at the right time: key to IBD success

Despite revolutionary molecular targeting therapies introduced over the past two decades for the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there remains significant variability in drug efficacy, which likely reflects the multifactorial basis and the complex and dynamic nature of the disorder. The presence of different molecular mechanisms and the diversity of cytokine expression profiles that drive distinct subtypes or different phases of IBD could affect the response to current pharmacological treatments. In this review we discuss the distinct roles of cytokines across different disease phases, and emphasize the importance of tailored drug use based on available biomarkers to deliver molecular targeted agents suited to the condition of each patient.