Novel therapeutic strategies.
Of the many sessions during the first day of the EPHAR meeting, several interesting topics emerged. Among these were a number of presentations investigating novel anti-inflammatory targets, including the search for a selective COX-2 inhibitor and the potential of cytokines/cytokine receptor targets (eg TNFalpha) as treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other chronic inflammatory conditions. Recent advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of diabetes and obesity have highlighted the need for a multi-therapeutic approach to treatment; several drugs in preclinical investigations were highlighted. Attention was drawn to the potential of AMPA/kainate receptors, historically investigated for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, which are now showing promise as anti-ischemic therapeutics. Many novel therapeutics strategies were discussed in detail, including the CCK-B antagonists with considerable anxiolytic potential, mitochondrial mechanisms as targets for the treatment of brain injury and the use of stress-activated proteins in anti-ischemic research.
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