JAK inhibitors: Novel developments in management of ulcerative colitis

Janus kinase inhibitors are small molecules, orally administered, under development for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. These molecules reduce the immune response, blocking the signal transduction of multiple cytokines implicated in the activation of inflammation. Currently multiple JAK inhibitors are being evaluated in clinical trials. The aim of this review is to examine the efficacy and the safety of the JAK inhibitors being tested and to discuss the available data on the use of these drugs in moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis, in order to understand how these new molecules can fit into the therapeutic algorithm of patients with ulcerative colitis.