Anti-Inflammatory Small Molecules for Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Disorders
University of Pittsburgh researchers have developed a new class of anti-inflammatory small molecules that can fight chronic inflammatory disorders such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel syndrome.
Description
Currently, more than 35 million people in the United States suffer from the most common chronic inflammatory disorder, inflammatory bowel syndrome, and national treatment costs are estimated to be over $30 billion annually. Over the past decade, research has shown that the Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) protein complex plays a critical role in controlling immune responses, including inflammation associated with chronic inflammatory disorders. However, there are only a handful of treatments that act on this protein specifically. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have identified a new class of small molecule inhibitors that act on NF-κB to inhibit inflammatory immune responses. NF-κB are important regulators of cell responses, including the release of cytokine and other inflammatory mediators, and overactivation of NF-κB can lead to long-term, negative health impacts. By inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, this class of recently identified small molecules can reduce inflammation and prevent long-term health impacts and acute symptoms of inflammatory disorders.Applications
• Can be used to treat a variety of inflammatory disorders including inflammatory bowel syndrome, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis.• May also be useful as an anti-cancer therapeutic and as a therapeutic for improving aging outcomes and preventing premature death in elderly patients.
Advantages
• Specifically inhibits NF-κB known to regulate release of cytokine and other inflammatory mediators, directly targeting a critical protein pathway associated with chronic inflammation disorders.• Targets the NF-κB pathway which is also implicated in progression of certain cancers and in premature death of elderly patients with high levels of inflammatory markers in their blood.