title: Vercirnon for the treatment of Crohn's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CCR9 antagonism is a promising new therapeutic approach for the treatment of Crohn's disease. CCR9 is expressed on the cell surface of memory/effector CD4(+) T cells and selectively binds to the small intestinal lymphocyte chemoattractant CCL25 (TECK). Blockade of the CCR9/CCL25 interaction inhibits lymphocyte homing to the intestinal mucosa, thereby limiting inflammation and disease at this site.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review details the current research on CCR9 antagonism and summarizes available clinical trial data for vercirnon , a selective CCR9 antagonist currently under development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If the results of ongoing large-scale clinical trials of vercirnon are in line with preliminary reports, CCR9 antagonism may have comparable efficacy to anti-TNF therapies and a potentially superior safety profile, making it the latest addition to the growing arsenal of immunomodulatory drug therapies available to combat Crohn's disease. Moreover, since vercirnon is an oral drug, its associated costs will likely be much lower than expensive infusion-based anti-TNF therapies, providing further economic benefits.
authors.affiliation: Case Western Reserve University, Department of Medicine and Digestive Health Research Center, Cleveland, OH, 44122, USA.
authors.forename: Kristen O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Arseneau
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cominelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D054388:Receptors, CCR / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; C119309:CC chemokine receptor 9; C583420:CCX282-B; D054388:Receptors, CCR; D013449:Sulfonamides