Clinical Medicine Insights: Therapeutics

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) treatments are rapidly evolving. Current knowledge of the immunopathology responsible for IBD grows on a daily basis. These scientific discoveries are quickly being translated into clinical advances for improved treatment of IBD patients. The breakthrough in biologic therapy occurred with the introduction of infliximab for the treatment of Crohn’s disease. Since then, research applying biologic therapies for IBD has expanded dramatically. Even though significant therapeutic gains have occurred with the expanded use of biologic therapies directed against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, some patients still remain underserved by this type of treatment. Clinicians need to be familiar with alternative biological therapeutics to so that patients will have an opportunity to benefit from this effective class of medications. This review will highlight the advances made in integrin inhibitor therapy, and discuss the application of this therapy to an IBD treatment paradigm.