Current gastroenterology reports
-
In recent years, many new agents have been evaluated for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. In this paper, we critically review recently published literature about these novel therapies, which have been the result of extensive research identifying molecular targets. ⋯ We discuss a number of them with specific focus on vedolizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the alpha4beta7 integrin on lymphocytes, ustekinumab, a monoclonal antibody against the p40 subunit of interleukin-12 and interleukin-23, and tofacitinib, a small molecule targeting Janus-activated kinase. Most likely, these three agents will find their way to the market and offer significant therapeutic alternatives for the management of Crohn's disease and/or ulcerative colitis.