EDITORIAL - Immunocytokines: the long-awaited therapeutic magic bullet in RA?

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Arthritis Research & Therapy 2009, 11:132doi:10.1186/ar2835

Editorial

Immunocytokines: the long awaited therapeutic magic bullet in

rheumatoid arthritis?

Fons A van de Loo and Wim B van den Berg

Rheumatology Research and Advanced Therapeutics, Department of

Rheumatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen

6525 GA, The Netherlands

Abstract

Modulatory cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10 looked promising

biologicals, but suffered from poor exposure at the inflamed joints

when administered via the patient-friendly subcutaneous route.

Immunocytokines have now been engineered with tissue targeting

potential and are a possible solution to this problem, although

challenges still exist. Local inflammatory processes cause destruction

of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, leading to neo-eptitopes,

and/or elicit the synthesis of new ECM components. This makes ECM

elements interesting targets for antibody-mediated recognition and

retention, to achieve higher levels of immunocytokines at the site of

therapeutic interference. The study presented by Schwager and

colleagues shows that targeted delivery of IL-10 is more efficacious

in experimental arthritis. Clinical studies are warranted to show

whether this strategy works for all rheumatoid arthritis patients or

is better for subgroups with a defined ECM phenotype. In principle,

the scFv-targeting system is plastic enough to allow for personalized

strategies.

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Read the entire editorial here:

http://arthritis-research.com/content/11/6/132

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