Novel therapeutic targets for inflammatory bowel disease

Many years of intensive research have led to the identification of different inflammatory pathways that form the basis of the intensive drug development that we are experiencing today. These novel drugs include agents that target leukocyte trafficking, Interleukin (IL) 23, Janus kinases (JAK), Sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) and Smad7, an inhibitor of the immunosuppressive cytokine transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). In this manuscript, we aim to review the most promising late-stage drug candidates for the treatment of IBD.