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BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory, systemic, autoimmune disease characterized by symmetric arthritis of diarthrodial joints leading to progressive erosion of cartilage and bone. The individual and social impacts of RA are of great importance. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the development of new therapies for RA treatment. METHODS: Various databases have been searched for new drugs in clinical trials (Phase I - III) and experimental future therapeutic agents for RA. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: The current management of the disease includes the use of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and the biologic therapies. Progress in our understanding of RA pathophysiology led to the identification of new therapeutic targets. These include pro-inflammatory cytokines, T and B cells, adhesion molecules, chemokines and intra- and extracellular signaling pathways. Therapeutic modulation of the above targets can provide new treatment strategies. This article reviews a few of the new treatment strategies currently being evaluated.
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Paraskevi V. Voulgari (2008) studied this question.
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