Kinase inhibitors in the treatment of immune-mediated disease Apostolos Kontzias1, Arian Laurence1, Massimo Gadina2 and John J. O’Shea1*

Protein kinases are fundamental components of diverse signaling pathways, including immune cells.
Their essential functions have made them effective therapeutic targets. Initially, the expectation was
that a high degree of selectivity would be critical; however, with time, the use of “multikinase”
inhibitors has expanded. Moreover, the spectrum of diseases in which kinase inhibitors are used has
also expanded to include not only malignancies but also immune-mediated diseases. At present,
thirteen kinase inhibitors have been approved in the United States, all for oncologic indications.
However, there are a growing number of molecules, including several Janus kinase inhibitors, that are
being tested in clinical trials for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and
inflammatory bowel diseases. It appears likely that this new class of immunomodulatory drugs will
have a major impact on the treatment of immune-mediated diseases in the near future.
http://f1000.com/reports/m/4/5/pdf