Drug delivery technologies for autoimmune disease.
BACKGROUND
Targeting autoimmune disease poses two main challenges. The first is to identify unique targets to suppress directly or indirectly autoreactive cells exclusively. The second is to penetrate target tissues to deliver specifically drugs to desired cells that can achieve a therapeutic outcome.


METHODS
Herein, the range of drug delivery methods available and under development and how they can be useful to treat autoimmune diseases are discussed. Polymer delivery methods, as well as biological methods that include fusion proteins, targeted antibodies, recombinant viruses and cell products are compared.


RESULTS
Readers will gain insight into the progression of clinical trials for different technologies and drug delivery methods useful for targeting and modulating the function of autoreactive immune cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Several tissue-specific polymer-based and biologic drug delivery systems are now in Phase II/III clinical trials. Although these trials are focused mainly on cancer treatment, lessons from these trials can guide the use of the same agents for autoimmunity therapeutics.
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Diabetes Institute, Department of Pathology, Rangos Research Center 6123, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
Brett E
BE
Phillips
Nick
N
Giannoukakis
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D004337:Drug Carriers; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011108:Polymers